Quinton de Kock delivered a masterful performance at the perfect moment, just as the T20 World Cup approaches on the horizon. The South African opening batsman unleashed a thunderous reminder of his devastating capabilities by breaking his nation's all-time T20 run-scoring record, surpassing the legendary Faf du Plessis with a breathtaking innings in Centurion.
Record-Breaking Century in Dominant Victory
De Kock achieved this historic milestone during the second T20 International against the West Indies on Thursday, January 29, crafting a scintillating 43-ball century at SuperSport Park. His explosive knock not only secured a commanding seven-wicket victory for the Proteas but also emphatically highlighted his exceptional form heading into the upcoming global tournament. The left-handed dynamo now reigns supreme atop South Africa's T20 run charts with an impressive 12,113 runs accumulated from 430 matches, maintaining an average of 31.46 with a formidable strike rate of 139.10.
Longevity and Consistency Define de Kock's Legacy
Years of sustained excellence characterize de Kock's remarkable career in cricket's shortest format. His statistical portfolio boasts eight magnificent centuries and 81 half-centuries, reflecting remarkable consistency at the highest level. Among South African batsmen, only David Miller's 35-ball century against Bangladesh in 2017 and Dewald Brevis' 41-ball hundred against Australia last year have arrived more rapidly than de Kock's spectacular ton against the Caribbean side.
Multiple Records Tumble in Centurion
The innings rewrote numerous entries in cricket's record books, establishing de Kock as one of the format's most formidable forces. The wicketkeeper-batsman has now scored centuries in the top two successful 200-plus run chases by South Africa in T20 Internationals, including the only successful 250-plus chase in the format's entire history. He moved into joint second position for most sixes in a T20I innings by a South African, matching Reeza Hendricks with ten maximums, though Richard Levi's thirteen from 2012 remains the ultimate benchmark.
De Kock also became just the third South African cricketer, following David Miller and Rilee Rossouw, to register multiple T20 International centuries. Further milestones continued to accumulate as the match progressed, with de Kock now holding the record for the most hundreds by a designated wicketkeeper in men's T20 cricket worldwide, with eight centuries to his distinguished name.
Unprecedented Achievements and Series Impact
The South African star has achieved another unique distinction, becoming the first player from his nation and only the second overall, after New Zealand's Colin Munro, to score two T20 International centuries at the same venue. Additionally, he has now featured in four separate 150-plus partnerships for South Africa in this format, demonstrating his ability to build substantial match-winning stands.
His magnificent 115 runs from just 49 deliveries, studded with ten towering sixes and six crisp boundaries, powered South Africa to an astonishing chase of 222 runs in merely 17.3 overs. This comprehensive victory granted the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series against the West Indies, with one final encounter still remaining to be played.
