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AB de Villiers Urges T20 Powerplay Overhaul to Level the Field for Middle Order

He says early-over field limits inflate openers' returns, skewing comparisons with middle-order batters.

Overview

  • Speaking on Pommie Mbangwa’s 360 YouTube channel, de Villiers criticized powerplay rules that allow only two fielders outside the circle in the first six overs.
  • He proposed removing those fielding restrictions at the start of innings, arguing the new ball already gives batters a significant advantage.
  • De Villiers objected to raw run tallies used to rank players, citing the 8,000‑run IPL milestone and asserting, “No, I’m better than him — he’s just faced more balls.”
  • He maintained that Nos. 4–6 face the toughest scenarios and are undervalued, adding that opening in the World Championship of Legends showed him how different the game feels up front.
  • Calling the early overs “a tough watch” for bowlers, he said even mishits often race to the boundary on Indian pitches under current restrictions.