South Africa recalls Quinton de Kock from ODI retirement ahead Pakistan tour

Quinton de Kock, the South African wicketkeeper-batter, has reversed his retirement from one-day internationals and has been recalled to the national squad for the upcoming ODI and T20 series against Pakistan. Having retired from ODIs after the 2023 World Cup and last playing white-ball cricket in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, de Kock's return is seen as a major boost by head coach Shukri Conrad, who highlighted de Kock's strong ambition to represent South Africa again. De Kock has been actively participating in global T20 leagues recently and is among the top white-ball batters with 6,770 ODI runs and 21 centuries. His return is timely ahead of next year's T20 World Cup and the 2027 50-over World Cup, which South Africa will co-host. Injuries to key players like captain Temba Bavuma, who will miss the Test series against Pakistan, make de Kock's inclusion particularly valuable. The Proteas hope his experience and skill will benefit the team during a crucial period in international cricket.