AB de Villiers: When Superman failed!

Even before the six from Grant Elliott's bat landed into the stands at Eden Park, the jubilant Kiwi dugout rushed to embrace their unheralded hero. The 40,000 spectators rose to their feet. Firecrackers adorned the sky as Elliot punched the air in delight.

Dale Steyn stood at the crease wondering what had happened, before deciding to rest on the pitch, facing the heavens. Faf du Plessis was on the verge of breaking down. Morne Morkel – the intimidating lanky pacer, wept inconsolably.

Every South African cricketer froze. AB de Villiers, the Superman of modern day cricket went down on his knees as his boys expressed the pain of defeat. There was nothing else he could do as there was no point motivating them for another match at cricket's showpiece event.

De Villiers, possibly the most influential cricketer on the field in the semi-final, had given up for the first time in the tournament. His inspirational captaincy, his motivational speeches, those outstanding innings and efforts on the field - took a backseat as he faltered in the big match.

But superheroes aren't meant to falter. They are expected to weather storms, stay tough under precarious circumstances, and single-handedly win matches for their teams.

As he had done right throughout the tournament, AB was expected to play a match-winning knock against New Zealand. When he came to bat, he was almost bowled off the first ball he faced from Corey Anderson which went over his stumps. Realizing that he had got his first stroke of luck, he soon began to unleash those incredible strokes from his repertoire.

Just when he was looking all set to reach what would have been a Superman's knock in the crucial semi-final, rain gods intervened the proceedings. And much to the delight of Kiwi fans, when play resumed, AB got to play just seven of the remaining 42 balls, off which he could score just five runs. Despite David Miller hitting the ball from the middle of the bat, it was de Villiers who was expected to get into the carnage mode.

Even though they had batted first, the pressure of the high-voltage match was expected to take its toll on the South Africans in the second innings. The first major blunder took place in the 32nd over of the innings when AB got a very easy chance to run-out Corey Anderson, then batting on 32, but missed. It was the turning point of the game, and having seen their warrior fumble under pressure, AB's soldiers too began to miss out on opportunities.

Throughout the ICC World Cup 2015, de Villiers was hailed for his outstanding leadership and the relentless backing he gave players who he thought would eventually make an impact. But that one moment, where he was on his knees as his team-mates buried their faces in the ground, is something which we all will remember for a very long time.

Four years is a lot of time. AB would be wondering whether he would get such a team at the ICC's pinnacle event again. The chances he missed in the semi-final against the Kiwis will stay with him forever.

It was a major heartbreak, not only for South Africa, but for cricket fans across the world who wanted them to finally lift a World Cup trophy.

Before him, big names like Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock, Hansie Cronje had all tried their best to win South Africa a maiden World Cup title. But unlike De Villiers, none of those gentlemen had the privilege of being given the tag of a Superman.

As we all saw an emotional, helpless de Villiers watching the Kiwis celebrate, with his teammates in tears, we probably realized – the Superman, is just like one of us.