South Africa's marvellous and memorable campaign came to a tame end in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup after Australia prevailed in a low-scoring dogfight in Kolkata in the second semi-final by 7 wickets on Thursday, November 16. South Africa scored just 212 on a tough surface where the ball was seaming, swinging and spinning and made Australia fight for every run, before the five-time champions eventually got home. South Africa's campaign ending meant it was the last time that Quinton de Kock played an ODI for the Proteas.
De Kock had announced before the tournament that this World Cup would be his last in the ODIs and he made sure to end it on a high-scoring 594 runs, including four centuries, the only player in the ongoing tournament to do so. Not just with the bat, De Kock was also the most successful wicketkeeper in the tournament with 20 dismissals and the closest to him is India's KL Rahul with 16.
De Kock became the first wicketkeeper in World Cup history to achieve a double of 500 runs and 20 dismissals in a single edition of the World Cup. Adam Gilchrist has had 21 dismissals in the 2003 edition but he mustered 408 runs with the bat. MS Dhoni had his best tournament in 2015 with the gloves effecting 15 dismissals, but he aggregated only 237 runs.
Most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in a single edition of the World Cup
21 - Adam Gilchrist (2003)
21 - Tom Latham (2019)
20 - Alex Carey (2019)
20 - Quinton de Kock (2023)
17 - Kumar Sangakkara (2003)
17 - Adam Gilchrist (2007)
De Kock was one of the big reasons why South Africa qualified for the semi-finals. However, some outstanding bowling from Australia and poor fielding and captaincy from South Africa cost them a maiden World Cup final place. David Miller with his remarkable ton did help his side post a competitive score on that surface, but it was always going to be tough after a 6-over 60 start by the Aussies.
