New Delhi: South Africa hope Quinton de Kock will continue to play white-ball international cricket with an aim of winning a World Cup as speculations swirl over his T20I retirement.
De Kock was part of the South African team that was beaten in the final of the T20 World Cup in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The tournament was expectde to be his final appearance for the Proteas in T20Is but national white-ball coach Rob Walter hopes the pain of defeat would drive him to carry on.
“Quinny’s an enigma. He hasn’t officially called time. So we have that little glimmer of hope that sits in the background,” Walter said on Thursday, after he on arrived in South Africa from the Caribbean, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
“Quinny has very high standards for himself and has dreamed about a World Cup win for a very long time. Has had a number of knocks along the way, not least this last final, You would have seen that he was very emotional with it. Whether we see him again, time will tell.”
The left hander has already retired from Tests in 2021 and called time on his 50-over career at the ODI World Cup last year.
Walter said he is yet to speak with de Kock over his future and his immediate task will be to prepare the team for their next T20Is in the West Indies in August.
“I’ve had no conversations with him. It wasn’t the right time after the final to have that conversation. So let me leave it at saying your guess is as good as mine,” he added.
De Kock is not on South Africa’s national contract list but could take cue from David Miller, who dismissed rumours of ending his T20I career, writing on Instagram: “Contrary to reports, I have not retired from T20 international cricket. I will continue to be available for the Proteas. The best is yet to come.”
South Africa are yet to win any major ICC World Cup title. The only senior title they won is the Champions Trophy in 1998. Walter said his target is to prepare the team to win the CHampions Trophy in Pakistan next year.
“I think people underestimate the toughness of the Champion’s Trophy. For me, that’s as strong a competition as any,” he said.
“Hopefully we continue to grow as a side and just keep putting ourselves in a position where we can compete. I said last year after the 50-over World Cup, I genuinely believed that semi-final would be the catalyst to us winning our first world trophy.
“And nothing’s changed. We probably believe that even stronger now.”
Quinton de Kock was part of the South African team that was beaten in the final of the T20 World Cup Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
