CENTURION, South Africa — Quinton de Kock delivered a thunderous reminder of his destructive brilliance on Thursday, blasting a breathtaking century as South Africa dismantled the West Indies by seven wickets to seal an unassailable series lead.
In a run chase that quickly turned into a spectacle, de Kock produced a boundary-laden masterclass, hammering 115 from just 49 deliveries. His innings, featuring 10 towering sixes and six crisp fours, set the tone for a ruthless pursuit, as the Proteas stormed to 225 for three in just 17.3 overs.
The emphatic victory handed South Africa a decisive 2-0 advantage in the three-match series, with the final encounter scheduled for Saturday.
West Indies flash promise with the bat
Before de Kock seized center stage, the West Indies delivered an eye-catching batting performance of their own, anchored by Shimron Hetmyer’s fluent 75 off 42 balls and a powerful unbeaten 57 from Sherfane Rutherford. Brandon King added further impetus at the top with a well-crafted 49.
Sent in to bat for the second consecutive match, West Indies captain Shai Hope endured a brief stay, edging Marco Jansen behind for four in his first appearance of the series. That early setback, however, did little to slow the visitors’ momentum.
Hetmyer and King set the tempo
Hetmyer continued his excellent form, dominating a dynamic 126-run partnership with King that put the West Indies firmly on course for a massive total. King was particularly severe on Anrich Nortje, plundering three fours and two sixes in an over that yielded 24 runs as the visitors raced to 53 for one after five overs.
The assault intensified midway through the innings. Hetmyer reached his half-century from just 28 balls, simultaneously bringing up the team’s 100 with a towering six off Nortje during a costly 10th over that leaked 22 runs.
Rabada and Maharaj pull things back
South Africa eventually halted the surge when Kagiso Rabada dismissed King, caught at long-on one run shy of a deserved fifty, leaving the score at 133 for two after 12 overs.
That breakthrough triggered a brief but damaging collapse. Spinner Keshav Maharaj struck twice in quick succession, removing Rovman Powell for two and then Hetmyer, as the West Indies slipped from dominance to 145 for four within the space of three overs.
De Kock and Rickelton tear the game apart
South Africa’s reply began briskly, with captain Aiden Markram and de Kock adding 27 runs in under three overs before Markram pulled a short delivery from Matthew Forde straight into the hands of Hetmyer at deep midwicket.
From there, the contest effectively ended.
Ryan Rickelton joined de Kock, and the left-handed pair unleashed a relentless counterattack that shattered the West Indies’ hopes. Their monumental 162-run partnership not only erased the target with ease but did so with authority, precision, and flair, draining all resistance from the visiting side.
Rickleton’s unbeaten 77 provided the perfect complement to de Kock’s onslaught, as South Africa cruised home with more than two overs to spare in a chase that underlined their World Cup readiness.
