AB de Villiers skip Big Bash League 2020 as he is expecting 3rd child with wife Danielle

AB de Villiers has decided to skip the Big Bash League 2020 tournament as he is expecting his third child with wife Danielle and also because of the coronavirus-related scare.

De Villiers, who is currently plying his trade for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2020, was all set to be re-signed by the Brisbane Heat franchise but won't be able to do so now.

Coach Darren Lehmann said Brisbane had been keen to re-sign the South African, who is currently playing in the Indian Premier League, but factors emerged that “changed everyone’s plans”.

“The main one, aside from the challenges represented by COVID-19 and international travel, is that AB and his wife Danielle are expecting their third child very soon,” added Lehmann.

“He has been in excellent touch in the IPL for



Royal Challengers Bangalore, so he obviously remains a player we’d like to keep working with when the circumstances allow.”

De Villiers said he intended to return to the Heat once the situation improved.

“... with a young, growing family, and the uncertainty around travel and conditions due to COVID19, we reluctantly decided it wasn’t going to be this season.

“The Heat were great to us last season and I am very open to returning to the club in the future. The team did not get the results we were hoping for and I consider there is some unfinished business to deal with,” de Villiers said in a post shared by the franchise, Brisbane Heat, on Twitter.

Brisbane have retained the services of Afghan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman for this year’s tournament, which begins on December 3.