Quinton de Kock’s Century Leads South Africa to Victory Against West Indies
Centurion (South Africa) – Quinton de Kock marked his 100th Twenty20 international in style by smashing a century to guide South Africa to a comfortable seven-wicket win over the West Indies on Thursday.
De Kock, using a borrowed bat from Dewald Brevis, played a scintillating innings of 115 runs off just 49 balls. His partnership with Ryan Rickelton, who scored an unbeaten 77 off 36 balls, propelled South Africa to a quick victory, chasing down the West Indies’ total of 221-4 with 15 balls to spare.
The left-handed duo dominated the West Indian bowlers, amassing 162 runs in just 11.5 overs at a staggering run rate of 12 per over.
Captain Aiden Markram praised de Kock’s performance, stating, “Quinny put on a great show for the crowd. Ricks flies under the radar but to get us home back to back is a good effort from him.”
This win not only gave South Africa a 2-0 series victory over the West Indies but also marked coach Shukri Conrad’s first T20 series win after a string of losses. The teams will now prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
De Kock, who missed the first T20, made a strong comeback in this match, reaching his century with a flurry of sixes against the West Indian bowlers. His aggressive innings included 10 sixes and six boundaries before he was dismissed for 115.
Rickelton, playing second fiddle to de Kock, also played a crucial role in the chase, scoring a quick-fire 77 not out. His knock included nine boundaries and three sixes.
On the bowling front, spinner Keshav Maharaj stood out for South Africa with figures of 2-22, restricting the West Indies’ total and setting up the chase for the Proteas.
The West Indies, despite a strong batting performance from Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford, fell short in defending their total against the relentless South African batting display.
With this convincing victory, South Africa looks poised and confident heading into the T20 World Cup, aiming to make a strong impact on the global stage.
Overall, de Kock’s century and South Africa’s clinical performance against the West Indies showcased their potential as a formidable T20 team, setting the stage for an exciting cricket season ahead.
