South African wicketkeeper-batter, Quinton de Kock, has declared his retirement from One-day International (ODI) cricket. The left-handed opener plans to focus more on playing in franchise T20 leagues around the world after the conclusion of the 2023 World Cup. In December 2021, he unexpectedly announced his retirement from Test cricket, stating his desire for more family time.
South Africa has announced the 15-member squad for the World Cup. The team is captained by Temba Bavuma and includes experienced players such as David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, and Anrich Nortje. The side will look to deliver goods in a forthcoming mega event in India.
Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi, and Sisanda Magala have been named in South Africa’s ODI World Cup squad, while Wayne Parnell and Dewald Brevis have been left out of the squad for the tournament in India.
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Enoch Nkwe, the director of cricket for Cricket South Africa, expressed his gratitude towards Quinton de Kock for his valuable contribution to South African cricket in the International arena. He also thanked the Proteas star for his years of service to the team and expressed his eagerness to have him in the T20 format of the game.
“Quinton has been a really good servant to South African cricket. He set the benchmark with his attacking batting style and was a key member of the squad for a number of years.
“He also wore the captain’s armband and that is an honour that very few people get to hold. We understand his decision to step back from ODI cricket and we want to thank him for his service over the years. We wish him well for the future but still look forward to seeing him represent the Proteas in T20I cricket,” Enoch Nkwe said.
Quinton de Kock has been a key player for the South African cricket team in recent times. The left-handed batsman will be looking forward to contributing to the team’s success in the upcoming ODI World Cup, where they will be competing in the hope of bagging their first-ever ICC title in world cricket.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) is hoping to have Quinton de Kock available for the upcoming T20I series against India on home soil. These matches are the only scheduled fixtures for South Africa before next year’s T20I World Cup and would be crucial for the team in the 2024 T20 World Cup.