AB de Villiers Wrote Letter To RCB Family On June 04, Has Finally Shared It
AB de Villiers penned an emotional post on RCB's IPL 2025 title victory.
- NDTV Sports Desk
- Updated: June 13, 2025 07:17 am IST

- AB de Villiers attended the IPL final where RCB won its first title on June 03.
- He expressed joy at RCB's victory after 18 years of near misses in a heartfelt letter to fans.
- De Villiers celebrated with RCB players, particularly Virat Kohli, at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
An icon in the global cricketing spectrum, AB de Villiers was present at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 03 as his former franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lifted its maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title. As RCB beat the Gujarat Titans in the final, the 18-year-long agony finally came to an end. The next day, en route to South Africa on the flight, De Villiers wrote a letter for RCB fans that probably couldn't be shared because of the stampede in Bengaluru that saw 11 people lose their lives. However, the South African legend finally decided to share the contents of the letter on June 12.
De Villiers celebrated with RCB players, especially Virat Kohli in Ahmedabad, as the franchise got its hands on the trophy. In his letter, De Villiers recalled the heartbreaks, near-misses, emotions that RCB and their fans went through over the years.
"Dear RCB family, Last night was something words will never fully do justice to, but I will try, because the heart deserves to speak when it is full. As I walked into the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the sun had already dipped below the skyline, but it felt like the red of RCB still lit up the horizon. A neutral venue, they said, but when I heard the roar, saw the jerseys, the flags, the faces painted with red and gold, I knew this was home," said de Villiers in a video shared on his X account.
"What I witnessed was not just a cricket match, but a culmination. A culmination of belief, heartbreaks, near misses, miracles, and an undying loyalty that no trophy, until now, had been able to reward. But last night, it happened. RCB, the team that became family to me, are the champions of the IPL. Well, it feels good to say that," he added.
A Letter to the RCB Family
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) June 11, 2025
Written on 4 June 2025
En-route from Ahmedabad to Johannesburg, SA #RCB pic.twitter.com/UmtVh3FxDD
"And then, as if the night hadn't already stirred every emotion, there was Virat, standing at long off, right in front of me. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and that was all it took. We did not need words. In that quiet exchange, everything was understood. The years, the near misses, the weight we had both carried for this dream. There were tears, yes, but more than that, there was a deep, unspoken knowing. We have shared countless innings, conversations, and battles together, but the words he spoke after the game, the way he acknowledged our journey, contributions, and shared memories, it touched a part of me that few things in this game ever have. That moment reminded me. It is not about the numbers," de Villiers further said.