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Cricket greats pay tribute to 'freak' AB

Cape Town - AB de Villiers is back!

Now fully available for South Africa in all formats, the former ODI and Test skipper was at his remarkable best oin the second ODI against Bangladesh in Paarl on Wednesday. 

De Villiers smashed 176 off 104 balls, falling just 12 runs short of Gary Kirsten's record of 188* as the highest ever score by a South African in an ODI. 

De Villiers was also threatening to become the first man in the history of ODI cricket to score a double hundred having not opened the batting. 

His shot-making seems as good as ever, his ball-striking as clean as ever and it is good news for South Africans ahead of important series against India and Australia on home soil. 

De Villiers' innings drew an immediate reaction from social media, with a number of former and current cricketers paying tribute to one of the most naturally gifted batsman of this generation. 

Leading the chants was former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. 

"The cricket world is simply a better place with a fit and firing AB de Villiers," he Tweeted. 

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