Quinton de Kock has made a sensational comeback to One Day International (ODI) cricket, reversing his retirement to join South Africa’s squad for their upcoming tour of Pakistan.
This unexpected return marks a significant development for the Proteas as they gear up for the 2026 Men”s T20 World Cup and the 2027 Men”s Cricket World Cup, according to a report by ICC released today.
De Kock”s inclusion comes as regular captain Temba Bavuma is sidelined due to a calf injury sustained during the England tour. In Bavuma”s absence, South Africa will have different captains for each format: Aiden Markram will lead the Test side, Matthew Breetzke the ODIs, and David Miller the T20Is.
De Kock last played for South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup and announced his retirement from ODIs after the 2023 Cricket World Cup. His presence bolsters South Africa’s batting lineup for the limited-overs contests against Pakistan.
The tour commences with a two-Test series, starting on October 12 in Lahore, followed by the second Test in Rawalpindi on October 20. Three ODIs and three T20Is will follow the Test matches. Spinner Keshav Maharaj will be available only for the second Test. Senuran Muthusamy, Prenelan Subrayen, and Simon Harmer will manage the spin bowling duties in his initial absence. While pace bowlers Kagiso Rabada, Wiaan Mulder, and Marco Jansen have been included in the Test squad, Lungi Ngidi and Dane Paterson have been omitted from the longest format but Ngidi will be available for the white-ball matches.
South Africa has also selected a young team for a standalone T20 international against Namibia, led by Donovan Ferreira. This match serves as an opportunity to develop emerging talent within South African cricket.