'Ab is still better than...'- Dale Steyn drops shocking statement on IPL players

The former South African pacer, Dale Steyn, has dropped a shocking statement to put social media on fire. He reckoned that his former captain of the international side, AB de Villiers, would still be better than half of the international players at the IPL. He also wondered if it could be even more than that.

Steyn’s statement comes just the day after South Africa Champions creamed their way to the title of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 by getting the better of the Pakistan side in the chase. As it had been the trend of the competition, Ab de Villiers smashed a fine century in the final to shoulder them over the line.

See Also: [WATCH] AB de Villiers credits star player for India's T20 World Cup 2024 victory during interview with Shubhankar Mishra

De Villiers clubbed an unbeaten knock of 120 runs in 60 deliveries, shouldering on 12 boundaries and seven sixes at a strike rate of nearly 200 in the 197-run chase. That was his third century of the tournament, as he finished at the top of the run-scoring list with 431 runs in six innings at an average of 143.67 and a strike rate of 221.03. The next best in the list, JJ Smuts, had 250 runs less than Ab.

Dale Styen drops fiery statement on Ab de Villiers and IPL internationals

Ab de Villiers, who played the first half of his career with the Delhi capitals before shifting his base to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, earned the success as the eighth leading wicket-taker of the league with the help of 5162 runs in 170 innings at an average of nearly 40 and a strike rate of over 150 with three centuries and 40 half-centuries.

Unpopular/Popular opinion.

Ab is still better than half the internationals at IPL. Maybe even more.

— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) August 3, 2025

Steyn played a couple of seasons with Ab for the Bengaluru side in the IPL. His statement perhaps has come given the wicket-keeper took an early retirement from international cricket. Many have also felt that the Pretoria batter would have fired up the leagues around the world.

In his last season of the IPL in 2021, the right-handed batter ended with 313 runs in 14 innings at an average of 31.30 and a strike rate of 148.34 with two half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 76 runs.