Quotes from AB de Villiers

Winning an official World Cup with the South African team had become my burning ambition.

There's a lot of reasons I had to move on. Family's definitely a big part of it. And the longevity of my career - I played for 15 years, and I was just tired of the whole international scene. It's quite busy. Very stressful.

When I'm fielding at point, I'm running all over that field, and I'm really tired by the end of the innings.

Nothing comes close to the IPL, to be honest.

I prefer to be out of the spotlight, to be honest. I've always been that kind of personality.

I know nothing will compare to that feeling of scoring hundreds in a big game.

I don't care about hundreds, fifties, averages.

I don't really like attention too much.

I just try and earn my right to get on top of the bowlers, and that is how I play every game.

I am fully aware that cricket is like a second religion in Pakistan.

You represent your country - that's the biggest honour ever. I had the privilege of doing that for more than 14 years.

There are lots of mentally very tough players that I have played against and with.

It's tough at slip. The ball doesn't come to you very often. So from that perspective, I enjoy keeping more - you're in the game the whole time.

There are big tournaments going on around the world, and some of them you cannot ignore because, financially, they make a huge difference in our lives.

If I play all the IPL games the whole season, I do get a bit tired towards the end.

In all kinds of sports, you have to get the confidence going within before you can start proving people wrong or right.

I can't keep playing 10-11 months a year and keep being sharp after 15 years of international cricket.

Money wasn't the motivating factor in calling time on my international career and focusing on T20 cricket. If I was here to make as much money as I can, I would be playing 10 to 12 tournaments a year.

You live for those pressure moments. Through an international career, you have ups and downs, but you always feel you are going to be tested in moments like that. It has taken me years to feel comfortable and to feel like I have good composure in those situations.

I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that's why I want to be there at the end.

Yes, I would have loved to win it, but I have great memories from World Cups. The 2007 tournament - my first - was very special.

I've made peace with the fact that the World Cup will not define me. Yes, it would be nice to add that to what's been a very enjoyable career, but I know it won't define me as a person or cricketer.

I truly believe that players who tell you they don't feel the pressure of international cricket, of being away from home for months at a time, are lying to everyone and themselves.

I truly love captaining. I've grown into enjoying it.