Indian Premier League (IPL) team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are all set to acknowledge the contribution of Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers to the franchise.

The franchise will permanently retire the jersey numbers of the batting greats and induct them into the RCB Hall of Fame.

Taking to Twitter, RCB confirmed the same and wrote: “We promised you during last year’s IPL that we’ll get @ABdeVilliers17 and @henrygayle together at the Chinnaswamy stadium. And yes, they’re going to be present at the #RCBUnbox event on the 26th of March 2023 for the RCB Hall of Fame induction.”

In another tweet, the franchise wrote: “Jersey numbers 17 and 333 will be retired forever as a tribute to @ABdeVilliers17 and @henrygayle, when we induct the legends of RCB into the Hall of Fame, at the #RCBUnbox presented by Walkers and Co.”

Chris Gayle was associated with RCB from 2011 to 2017, scoring 3420 runs from 91 games at a strike rate of 154.40 with five centuries and 21 fifties.

On the other hand, AB de Villiers joined RCB in 2011 after spending a few seasons with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). He remained part of the RCB side until his retirement from all forms of cricket last year in 2011.

In 157 matches for RCB, De Villiers amassed 4522 runs at a strike rate of 158.33 with two hundreds and 37 half-centuries.