Quinton De Kock scored an unbeaten 140-run knock, his highest in the IPL, against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai on Wednesday. The Protea batter and skipper KL Rahul (68 not out in 51 balls) stitched a 210-run opening stand, highest in the tournament’s history.
The Kolkata Knight Riders will need to score 211 on a dry Navi Mumbai pitch to win the game and stay alive in the playoff race.
De Kock started patiently before pacing his innings in the latter half. The Protea wicketkeeper batter brought his fifty in 36 balls. He only took 23 more to take his score to 140. The 29-year-old’s 59-ball stay at the crease saw him smash 10 boundaries and as many sixes.
On the fourth ball of the 18th over, Quinton de Kock cut Andre Russell’s short of length across off delivery for a boundary between backward point and short third man. It was his second IPL hundred. To celebrate, the South African kneeled down, punched his bat and roared.
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De Kock’s 140 is the third highest individual score in the IPL after Chris Gayle (175) and Brendon McCullum (158).
Highest individual scores in IPL
175* C Gayle RCB v PWI Bengaluru 2013
158* B McCullum KKR v RCB Bengaluru 2008
140* Q de Kock LSG v KKR Mumbai DYP 2022
133* AB de Villiers RCB v MI Mumbai WS 2015
132* KL Rahul PK v RCB Dubai 2020
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The South African was in his elements smashing the spinners and pacers with equal disdain. He used the pull shot against the faster bowlers and was at his innovative best against the seasoned spin duo of Sunil Narine and off coloured Varun Chakaravarthy.
Out of the sixes he hit, de Kock’s reverse sweep off Narine stood out. Anything short from the pacers, de Kock was happy to put it away over deep square leg region.
His 19th over yielded as many as 27 runs with de Kock finding the boundary at will.
