MATCH STORIES
Follow Us4, 41, 19, 20, 0, 18, 10 – these have been Quinton de Kock’s scores in T20 Internationals (T20I) for South Africa this year. One thought someone like a Ryan Rickelton would be preferred ahead of de Kock in the final group stage game against Nepal, but de Kock got the go-ahead and has once again failed to get a substantial score on the board. It was a scratchy 11-ball stay at the crease for the southpaw, and going into the Super Eights, he is one of the major causes for concern for South Africa.
It did not help de Kock that he had a below-par Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Six of his 11 dismissals in the tournament came against deliveries that were on length or short. The silver lining was there were no dismissals against spin, and the T20 World Cup 2024 changed that. Nepal may not have had any bowler who could have potentially troubled the southpaw with pace, but with plenty of spin on offer, they handed Dipendra Singh Airee the ball and the match-up worked for the Rhinos.
Five of de Kock’s seven dismissals this year have come in the powerplay, and for the second time in the T20 World Cup 2024, he was dismissed by a spinner, and incidentally, he was dismissed in a similar fashion. Against Sri Lanka in New York, de Kock played the ball straight back to Wanindu Hasaranga, while in St Vincent today (June 14), he hit the ball straight back to Airee. The ball had clearly stopped on him on both occasions leading to his downfall.
The plan to de Kock has been simple – bowl it on the fourth or fifth stump line, and he will give you a chance – regardless of whether he is up against a pacer or a spinner. When the bowlers bowled on the stumps though, he has been able to put them away with utmost ease (SR 150).
The opposition have clearly done their homework as nearly 39% of the deliveries they have bowled to him in the tournament have been just outside off, in that corridor of uncertainty, and that has fetched them success.
The South African opening stand have been amongst the worst this tournament, having put on just 43 in 38 deliveries so far. To put things into perspective, 22 against Nepal was the highest first wicket partnership in the World Cup, showing they have not got the start they have craved for, but their middle-order has saved them time and again.
Coming into this tournament, South Africa had played just 11 T20Is since the end of the last T20 World Cup – the lowest after the Netherlands in this period among teams participating in the tournament. However, New Zealand, in this period, have played 39 T20Is – most by a full member. But they have been an example of the fact that playing so many matches counts for nothing unless you play with the squad on a consistent basis, and prepare well with them ahead of the tournament. While the Blackcaps are out, South Africa continue to march on. But is their end near?
De Kock had a chance to come good for the Proteas ahead of the Super Eights, but has missed a golden opportunity to make the best of his opportunity against Nepal. But as things stand, every time de Kock comes on to bat, he makes a case for Rickelton to be drafted straight into the XI.
Rickelton, a left-handed batter and wicketkeeper like de Kock, had a superb run in the SA20, where he finished as the leading run-getter with 530 runs at a strike rate of 173.77. While he did not make an impact in the three T20Is he played against the West Indies prior to the World Cup, surely, if he is good enough to be picked in the squad, he is good enough to play, right?
If South Africa were reluctant to bench de Kock against Nepal – a match that has no consequence on them making it to the Super Eights, there’s no certainty they would drop him moving ahead in the tournament. De Kock will hope that he can repay the faith.
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