South Africa's Quinton de Kock celebrates after reaching his century against Bangladesh at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 game played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India on October 24, 2023. Picture: REUTERS, Francis Mascarenhas
Former Proteas Test and ODI wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock completed his final hurrah for the men’s senior national side in the 50-over format, by being selected in the ICC Cricket World Cup Team of the Tournament for the recently concluded edition, it was revealed after the final on Sunday.
The imperious De Kock scored a whopping 594 runs at an average of 59.40 during the tournament. He smashed four hundreds in the process, including a mammoth 174 against Bangladesh.
He finished the 13th iteration of the World Cup as its third- highest run scorer behind the Indian duo of Virat Kolhi (756 runs at 95.62) and Rohit Sharma (597 runs at 54.27), and there is no doubt that his contribution with the willow played a major role in the Proteas reaching the semi-final.
De Kock was the only South African selected in an XI rightfully dominated by the hosts, who have six players in the team, but who also lost the final against Australia by six wickets. Aussies Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa were also selected, while New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell and Dilshan Madushanka of Sri Lanka complete the team.
South African paceman Gerald Coetzee was also honoured as the 12th man after the 23-year-old collected 20 wickets at an average of 19.80.
The finest stars of #CWC23 form the Team of the Tournament 🤩
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) November 20, 2023
How good is this unit? 🔥
✍️: https://t.co/yez8ZQfYdh pic.twitter.com/0UawpBsfMA
De Kock indicated before the start of the competition that he would be retiring from ODIs to concentrate on the T20 format and to spend more time with his family. Two years ago, the 30-year-old also stepped away from Test cricket.
It is not yet clear what role he will continue to play within the Proteas squad with a T20 series against India looming in December. Reports suggest that De Kock has already committed to the Melbourne Renegades during that period.
In all, De Kock completed his 50-over career at international level having played 155 matches for SA, scoring 6,770 runs – the seventh most by a South African – at an average of 45.74. He compiled 21 hundreds and 30 fifties during that time, which places him third- and seventh-best among his countrymen.
His highest score of 178 came in 2016 against Australia at Centurion, and is the third-highest by a South African. Behind the timber with the gloves he dismissed 226 batsmen – only second to Mark Boucher in the colours of the Proteas – with 209 catches and 17 stumpings.
He remains the fastest South African to reach 1,000 runs in the format.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Team of the Tournament:
1 Quinton de Kock (wk - SA),
2 Rohit Sharma (capt - IND),
3 Virat Kohli (IND),
4 Daryl Mitchell (NZL),
5 KL Rahul (IND),
6 Glenn Maxwell (AUS),
7 Ravindra Jadeja (IND),
8 Jasprit Bumrah (IND),
9 Dilshan Madushanka (SRI),
10 Adam Zampa (AUS),
11 Mohammed Shami (IND);
12th man: Gerald Coetzee (SA)
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