From ABD to Superman - An amazing journey in pictures

2006-2007: The highs and lows of ICC tournaments

His first ICC tournament was the 2006 Champions Trophy

Perhaps the first instance of his freakish nature in world cricket was observed when he produced a stunning run-out of Simon Katich in an ODI in 2006, hurling the ball onto the stumps while rolling, and hitting the bulls-eye.

His first major tournament was the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, one which he started off with a fifty against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad. In the semi-finals, he was run-out against the West Indies on 46, with his side crashing out of the tournament with a six-wicket loss.

De Villiers was run out against West Indies in the semis

He entered the 2007 World Cup, having played two years of ODI cricket with no centuries to his name.

The start turned out to be positive, as he slammed two back to back fifties after enduring a duck in the opening game against the Netherlands. After two more ducks, de Villiers' tally for the World Cup had gone to three.

Walking off after getting out for a duck against the Netherlands

He corrected it with a century against hosts West Indies, his maiden ODI ton, stepping up to the big stage and delivering. A stunning 146-run knock shows the world the promise of the then 23-year-old, and a sneak-peek into what's in store.

He notched up his first ODI ton against WI during the 2007 WC

However, he ended up with one more duck in the tournament, against New Zealand at St. George's. The side crumbled and imploded against Australia in the semi-finals, and endured one more heartbreak.

A few months later, in the then-unheralded T20 format, in the inaugural World T20, de Villiers had a quiet tournament, posting a string of low scores, barring an unbeaten 52 against New Zealand.