South African batsman AB de Villiers has said that if the Twenty20 World Cup scheduled for October in Australia was postponed to next year that could end his hopes of returning to the national side.

De Villiers, regarded as one of the best limited-overs batsmen in the world, hopes to make a comeback for South Africa at the global event, having retired from all forms of international cricket in May 2018.

There is no suggestion at this stage that the T20 World Cup will be postponed, but the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down global sport has placed the event under threat.

“If the tournament is postponed to next year, a whole lot of things will change,” De Villiers, 36, told South Africa’s Rapport newspaper.

“At the moment I feel available but, at the same time, I don’t know how my body will feel then and if I will be fit.

“If I am 100 per cent as good as I want to be, then I will be available.

“But if I am not, I won’t open myself up to that because I am not the type of person who does things at 80 per cent.”

De Villiers indicated that, should South Africa’s tours go ahead, he would be available for a limited-overs series in Sri Lanka in June, and the visit to West Indies in August, which will include five T20 matches.

“I’ll have to do the trials and show (coach Mark) Boucher I’m still good enough,” de Villiers said.

“They should choose me because I’m really better than the guy next to me.

“I’ve never been the type of person who felt I should get just what I wanted. I can’t walk into the team. Like every other player, I have to work for my place and deserve it.”

The T20 World Cup is due to be played across Australia from October 18 to November 1.