South Africa produced a powerful all-round performance to level the series in Mullanpur, thanks mostly to Quinton de Kock 90. India tried to fight back through Tilak Varma, but early wickets and rising pressure led to a 51-run defeat. This match completely changed the momentum of the series, and Quinton de Kock’s 90 became the biggest talking point of the night.
De Kock’s Explosive Start Sets Up a Big Total
South Africa started aggressively from the very first over. Even though Reeza Hendricks survived a run-out scare, it was Quinton de Kock 90 that truly shifted the game. He smashed boundaries and sixes at will, bringing up a 26-ball fifty and putting India under heavy pressure. His batting looked effortless, and bowlers struggled to stop him. The partnership with Aiden Markram grew quickly, and again Quinton de Kock 90 became the highlight of the innings.
Varun Chakravarthy was the only Indian bowler who found some success, picking up two crucial wickets. However, even he could not stop Quinton de Kock 90 from powering South Africa to a strong platform. After de Kock fell to smart work from Jitesh Sharma, the visitors slowed down briefly. But in the last three overs, Ferreira and others lifted the scoring. Despite Bumrah and Arshdeep having an off-day, the South African total looked big enough, and everyone knew Quinton de Kock 90 had already done major damage.
By the time the innings ended, commentators repeated that the reason South Africa crossed 200 was Quinton de Kock 90. His knock shaped the match completely.
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India Crumble Under Pressure Despite Tilak Varma’s Fight
India’s chase began poorly with Shubman Gill falling for a golden duck. Abhishek Sharma hit a few boundaries but Jansen got him early. Soon, Suryakumar Yadav also fell, and India were in deep trouble. At that point, the comparisons to Quinton de Kock 90 became louder because none of the Indian players could match that impact.
Tilak Varma played a brave knock of 62 and tried to rebuild the innings with Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya. But the required rate kept climbing. Even when Varma reached his fifty with a big hit, India still needed too many runs. South African bowlers kept control, knowing that Quinton de Kock 90 had already given them a comfortable cushion.
Late wickets fell quickly, and India were bowled out for 162. The final result clearly showed how important Quinton de Kock 90 was in shaping South Africa’s 51-run victory. Fans, experts, and analysts all agreed that the turning point of the match was undoubtedly Quinton de Kock 90.
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