South African cricketer Quinton de Kock has confirmed his intention to retire from One Day Internationals (ODIs). De Kock, who has been a part of the South African cricket setup for over a decade, disclosed that the monetary temptation of T20 leagues had played a significant role in his decision.
Although the player has represented the South African team loyally for 11 years, he stated that the financial benefits of T20 leagues are hard to overlook, particularly as he nears the end of his career. He insisted, however, that his first loyalty had always been towards his national team.
“T20 events – I am not going to deny that there is a lot of money and coming to the end of your career, guys want to get their final top-up before their career finishes. Any normal person would do it anyway,” ESPNcricinfo quoted him as telling the host broadcaster.
Besides the monetary aspects, de Kock also cited his wish to spend quality time with his young family as another reason to step back from ODI cricket. He retired from Test cricket nearly two years ago, just before the birth of his daughter Kiara, with the intent of focusing on his family life.
While his ODI career may be coming to a close, de Kock has his eyes set on the future. He plans to take part in the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia this December even as it overlaps with South Africa’s white-ball series against India.
After the World Cup, he has plans for a gap year to ‘reassess’ before deciding on the next chapter of his life. He will just “go back into society and be a normal person”. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), de Kock currently plays for Lucknow Super Giants.
Quinton de Kock was a part of the match against Australia at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium on September 17. The Proteas won the match by 122 runs while he scored 27 off 39 balls. The wicketkeeper-batter will retire from ODIs after the 2023 World Cup in India, set to kick off on October 5.
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Updated: 18 Sep 2023, 09:37 AM IST
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
