Returned after 2 years and scored so many runs. (Photo- PTI)
South Africa’s cricket team is currently on a tour of Pakistan. Currently a 3-match ODI series is being played between the two teams. In the first match of this series, both the teams faced each other at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. This match was very special for a player of the South African team. This player returned to ODI cricket after almost 2 years and played a brilliant innings as soon as he returned. This player has retired from the ODI format after the 2023 ODI World Cup, however, recently he took a U-turn from his decision.
Returned after 2 years and scored so many runs
South Africa’s star wicketkeeper batsman Quinton de Kock returned to ODI cricket with the first match of the ODI series against Pakistan. He played his last match against Australia during the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, he managed to make a strong comeback. While playing as an opener in this match against Pakistan, he faced 71 balls and scored 63 runs. His innings included 6 fours and 2 sixes. This was the 31st half-century of his ODI career.
During this, Quinton de Kock also made a partnership of 98 runs with young batsman Luan-Dree Pretorius for the first wicket. Due to which the South African team was able to make a strong start in this match. Let us tell you, before retiring, Quinton de Kock had played a total of 155 ODI matches for South Africa, in which he had scored 6770 runs at an average of 45.74. Apart from this, he has also made a comeback in T20I format. He was away from this format since the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Important series for Pakistan
This series being played between the two teams is very important for Pakistan. Actually, he has recently changed the ODI captain. Now Shaheen Shah Afridi is taking charge of the ODI team. Earlier, he was also made the captain of the T20 team, but he was stripped of the captaincy after just one series. In such a situation, this is a new beginning for Shaheen Shah Afridi.