Brisbane Heat have announced one of the major signings in this history of the Big Bash League, as they’ve snapped up Proteas legend AB de Villiers for the upcoming season that runs from December to February.

He will replace the marquee void left by Brendon McCullum who announced this retirement from the T20 circuit earlier this year.

De Villiers, a South African former international cricketer, will join the Heat squad for the second half of the tournament and is expected to make his Australia’s premier domestic T20 tournament debut next year when the Heat host the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba on January 14.

He's coming… Welcome @ABdeVilliers17! 🔥

Details: https://t.co/mYCimq9irZ#BringTheHeat #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/uiRLXEGb6m

— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) September 30, 2019

The 35-year-old prolific batsman starred for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the twelfth season of Indian Premier League, scoring 442 runs in 13 matches at an average of 44.20.