Articles by Harshit Bisht,News18

Sports

Quinton De Kock Becomes 2nd Fastest Batter In The World To...

Quinton de Kock opened the innings for South Africa in the third ODI against Pakistan on Saturday (November 8) and scored 53 runs from 70 balls. During his stay at the crease at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, the left-handed batter, who reversed his decision to retire from ODIs in September 2025, hammered six fours and one six. In the third ODI, which South Africa lost by seven wickets, De Kock entered his name in the history books by becoming the second fastest batter in the world to score 7000 runs in ODIs. De Kock needed 44 runs in the third ODI to complete 7000 runs in ODIs, and he achieved the objective by taking a single on the fourth ball of the 19th over of South Africa’s innings bowled by Salman Ali Agha. De Kock scored his 7000th run in the 158th ODI innings. Only one batter – Hashim Amla – has reached the 7000-run mark in ODIs in fewer innings than De Kock. During his playing days, Amla reached the 7000-run mark in the 150th innings of his 153rd ODI match. Virat Kohli completed 7000 ODI runs in 161 innings, and Kane Williamson reached the 7000-run mark in 159 innings of 167 matches. Fastest to 7000 runs in ODIs Hashim Amla South Africa Quinton de Kock South Africa Kane Williamson New Zealand Virat Kohli AB de Villiers South Africa/Africa Sourav Ganguly Rohit Sharma West Indies Martin Guptill New Zealand In his first ODI series after coming out of retirement, De Kock amassed a total of 239 runs in three matches for the Proteas, and his super show with the bat also helped him bag the Player of the Series award. The Player of the Series award in the away series against Pakistan is De Kock’s seventh such award in ODI cricket. By winning his seventh Player of the Series award in ODIs on Saturday (November 8), De Kock equalled MS Dhoni’s world record of winning the most Player of the Series awards by wicket-keeper batters in ODI history. During his 15-year-long ODI career from December 2004 to July 2019, Dhoni also won seven Player Of The Series awards for India.

Sports

Quinton De Kock Equals MS Dhoni's World Record Of Winning Most...

After coming out of international retirement, star South African batter Quinton de Kock played his first ODI series against Pakistan in Iqbal Stadium at Faisalabad. He opened the innings for the Proteas in all three matches and, with the help of one century and two half-centuries, amassed a total of 239 runs. He finished as the highest run getter in the series, and his superb show with the bat also helped him bag the Player of the Series award. The Player of the Series award in the away series against Pakistan is De Kock’s seventh such award in ODI cricket. By winning his seventh Player of the Series award in ODIs on Saturday (November 8), De Kock equalled MS Dhoni’s world record of winning the most Player of the Series awards by wicket-keeper batters in ODI history. Most Player of the Series awards in ODIs by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock South Africa Mushfiqur Rahim West Indies Kumar Sangakkara During his 15-year-long ODI career from December 2004 to July 2019, Dhoni also won seven Player Of The Series awards for India. The overall record of winning the most Player of the Series awards in international cricket is in the name of former India batter Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar played a total of 108 series during his more than two-decade-long ODI career and won 15 Player of the Series awards. He is followed by Virat Kohli and Sanath Jayasuriya, who have won nine Player of the Series awards each. Most Player of the Series awards in ODIs Sachin Tendulkar Virat Kohli Sanath Jayasuriya Shaun Pollock South Africa Chris Gayle West Indies Viv Richards West Indies Quinton de Kock South Africa Hashim Amla South Africa Yuvraj Singh Shakib Al Hasan Sourav Ganguly Ricky Ponting In the third Pakistan-South Africa ODI, De Kock scored 53 runs from 70 balls for the visitors, but after his dismissal, South Africa suffered a shocking collapse and got all out for just 143 runs in 37.5 overs. During his stay at the crease in the series decider, De Kock also completed 7000 runs in ODIs for South Africa. He is the second-fastest batter in the world to reach the 7000-run mark in the 50-over format of the game.

Technology

Ashleigh Gardner Equals Glenn Maxwell's World Record Of Most 100s By...

Ashleigh Gardner entered her name in the history books on Wednesday (October 22) by equalling Glenn Maxwell’s world record of scoring the most centuries in the ODI World Cup (men’s and women’s combined) by a No. 6 or lower batter. The 28-year-old cricketer from Sydney came out to bat at No. 6 for Australia in the 245-run chase on Wednesday (October 22) against England in Indore and remained unbeaten on 104 runs. She faced 73 balls during her stay at the crease and scored 16 fours in addition to adding an unbeaten 180 runs for the fifth wicket with Player Of The Match Annabel Sutherland (98 not out from 112 balls). Maxwell, who has now retired from ODIs, has also scored a couple of centuries in the 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup after coming out to bat at No. 6. Most ODI centuries as a No. 6 or lower batter in World Cup (men’s & women’s) Glenn Maxwell Ashleigh Gardner Carlos Brathwaite West Indies Jos Buttler South Africa Mahmudullah David Miller South Africa Kevin O’Brien Shaiman Anwar Lendl Simmons West Indies Andrew Symonds He scored 106 runs from just 44 balls against the Netherlands in Delhi on October 25, 2023, and then remained unbeaten on 201 runs from 128 balls against Afghanistan in Mumbai on November 7, 2023. Gardner, on the other hand, scored 115 runs from 83 balls as a No. 6 batter against New Zealand in Indore on October 1, 2025, and completed her century in 69 balls as a No. 6 batter against England on October 22. She is the first and only cricketer to score three centuries in women’s ODIs as a No. 6 or lower batter. No other player in the world apart from her has managed to score a century after walking out to bat at No. 6 or lower in Women’s ODI World Cup. The overall record of scoring the most centuries in ODIs as a No. 6 or lower batter is in the name of England’s Jos Buttler (5), and the former English captain is followed by David Miller of South Africa, who has 4 centuries to his credit. India’s MS Dhoni and Maxwell finished their ODI careers with three centuries each as a No. 6 or lower batter. Most ODI centuries as a No. 6 or lower batter Jos Buttler David Miller South Africa Glenn Maxwell Ashleigh Gardner The century by Gardner in 69 balls on Wednesday also helped her break the record of the fastest century in the Women’s ODI World Cup match. Before Gardner, the record was held by Deandra Dottin. Fastest centuries in Women’s ODI World Cup Ashleigh Gardner Deandra Dottin West Indies Alyssa Healy Visakhapatnam Nat Sciver-Brunt Ashleigh Gardner New Zealand In the 2017 ODI World Cup match between West Indies and Pakistan, Dottin completed her century in just 71 balls.