Quinton De Kock's Glorious Comeback After reversing his ODI retirement right before the tour, the 31-year-old wicketkeeper-batter dazzled fans with his elite skills! De Kock's smooth 123 not out off 119 balls anchored South Africa's chase of Pakistan’s 269 runs. The visitors easily surpassed this total, finishing with 59 balls to spare! This century marks de Kock's 22nd in ODIs, moving him ahead of Herschelle Gibbs (21) to become South Africa’s third-highest century-maker! Only AB de Villiers (25) and Hashim Amla (27) are above him!
Worldwide, de Kock’s count now matches that of Sourav Ganguly and David Warner, while Virat Kohli still reigns supreme with 51 centuries!
Early Luck and Signature Style De Kock caught a lucky break early when Mohammad Nawaz missed an easy catch at mid-wicket, a moment Pakistan will surely regret! The left-handed batsman seized the opportunity, showcasing his signature mix of timing and aggression! He clobbered Saim Ayub for a huge 80-meter six and quickly followed up with another towering hit off Mohammad Wasim Jr., setting an electrifying tone for the chase!
Partnerships That Secured Victory Opening with Lhuan-dre Pretorius, de Kock added 81 runs for the first wicket before Pretorius fell for a quick 46 off 40 balls. The momentum surged as Tony de Zorzi teamed up with de Kock! Together, they formed a formidable 153-run partnership—South Africa’s second-highest against Pakistan on their home turf! De Zorzi, scoring 76 off 63 balls, also benefited from a dropped chance by Faheem Ashraf while keeping the scoreboard moving before getting out late in the chase! De Kock stood unbeaten till the very end, finishing alongside stand-in captain Matthew Breetzke (17 not out off 21), guiding South Africa home in 40.1 overs!
BURGER & PETER IGNITE BOWLING BLITZ
Earlier, South Africa’s bowlers established a strong base for triumph with an explosive new-ball strategy!! Nandre Burger tore through Pakistan’s top batting lineup!!! He bagged 4 wickets for 46 runs, snatching the essential scalps of Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, & Mohammad Rizwan within the first five overs. Meanwhile, his pace ally Nqaba Peter shone, grabbing 3 wickets for 55 runs to keep Pakistan in a tight spot!
Although Saim Ayub (53 runs) & Salman Ali Agha (69 runs) managed half-centuries, Pakistan found it tough to regain the lost rhythm!!! A late surge from Mohammad Nawaz with 59 runs added a touch of respectability to the score of 269 for 9. Yet, it ultimately fell short against the dazzling performance of de Kock!!
Record-Breaking Comeback De Kock’s unbeaten 123 not only clinched the match but also solidified his status as one of South Africa’s finest ODI stars!!! His knack for fusing calmness with measured aggression served as a reminder of what the Proteas missed since his initial departure!!! As the teams gear up for a series decider, South Africa will draw assurance from their seasoned opener’s resurgence a defining innings that highlighted both skill and resolve!!!
FINAL SCORECARD:
Pakistan: 269/9 (50 overs) — Saim Ayub 53, Salman Ali Agha 69, Mohammad Nawaz 59; Burger 4/46, Peter 3/55 South Africa: 270/2 (40.1 overs) — de Kock 123*, de Zorzi 76, Pretorius 46 Result: South Africa triumphed by 8 wickets (series tied 1–1)!
