Exclusive: Matthew de Villiers Emulates Idol AB as Warriors End 15-Year Wait with Super Over Win

The Dafabet Warriors were crowned CSA T20 Challenge champions after a dramatic Super Over victory against Goldrush Boland in Paarl, winning by 10 runs. 

Captain Matthew de Villiers, who played a pivotal role in his debut professional season, was ecstatic after securing the title.

“We always knew it would be a tough outing in Paarl. The message before the game was we must stay calm because playing Boland in Paarl is not easy. It was a fantastic victory for us… first time in 15 years," he told SportsBoom.co.za. 

The Warriors had an opportunity to seal the match in the final over of regulation play but let the moment slip, forcing the contest into a Super Over.

“We always make things difficult for ourselves,” De Villiers joked. 

“JP [King] has been at the Warriors for a while now and for him to face the last couple of deliveries… he will have mixed emotions not getting the side over the line sooner, but the tears of joy in the end speak volumes about how much this team means to him. Nevertheless, the boys are stoked we got over the line.”

De Villiers reflected on the mental challenge of the season.

“It has been a hard season, especially as captain. The boys have worked incredibly hard to dig deep. Cricket is a mental game. We lost here in the qualifiers, then had to travel back home to play for a spot in the final, then fly back to Paarl again and beat them, it’s quite special.”

Breakthrough at the Warriors

De Villiers’ path to professional cricket was far from straightforward. Despite strong club-cricket performances in Cape Town, he was overlooked by Western Province. 

It was Robin Petersen who finally offered him an opportunity with the Warriors in Gqeberha.

“Last year was a pinch-me kind of moment. I have worked hard to get to this point… who knows where I would be if it wasn’t for Robbie [Petersen]? I would probably be banging 100s in club cricket in Cape Town.”

“With Rory Kleinveldt trying to change things at Western Province and bringing in more local guys, there is just so much talent in the Western Cape that I feel was being overlooked. Robbie brought me to the Warriors and I learnt a lot from him. I just had to go out and do what I do best, and luckily so far so good.”

Captain Fantastic

Remarkably, De Villiers was handed the captaincy at the start of the T20 Challenge, extraordinary for a player in his first professional season. Petersen believed he was ready.

“Yeah, it was quite funny actually,” De Villiers recalled. 

“I captained the team on my debut. Again, that just shows what Robbie is like — he puts trust in and backs his players. Funny story: we played the first game against the Titans, and I was giving a team talk before the game, then one of the players had to present me with my cap… quite funny.”

“It has been a cool experience to captain this side and win a trophy.”

CSA T20 Leading Run Scorer

De Villiers capped off a dream season by finishing as the tournament’s leading run scorer.

“I am incredibly happy! The team and coaches gave me a role where I was able to express myself and do what I do best. I must give credit to the players around me for playing their part as well, it allowed me to play the way I do. Luckily, I was able to score a few 50s.”

Childhood Proteas Dream Still Alive

“I remember playing backyard cricket when I was three… I was always trying to be Mark Boucher, Jacques Kallis or AB de Villiers. And the thought for me was always the Proteas! As you get older you understand the real world and things become more difficult. My mind drifted away a bit from that Proteas dream, but my heart has been green and always will be. Hopefully I keep performing for my team, win games for them — and maybe win games for the Proteas as well.”

Emulating Legends

De Villiers’ admiration for AB de Villiers extends beyond talent, he even shares the same surname and shirt number, 17.

“He [AB de Villiers] is definitely my role model. His stats speak for themselves. He has put South Africa in positions to win games, even around the world as well. I have started with ‘de Villiers 17’ and try to play a good brand of cricket. The time will come when I will create my own brand. Just looking at the professionals, I just want to do what they are doing until I find myself.”

“I have a feeling I can find my own way and be the best I can be. For now, I just want to stay humble and keep working hard. It’s a long journey to the top. Hopefully I can carry on doing what I have been doing," he concluded.