South Africa’s Quinton de Kock joined an exclusive group of players during the third ODI against Pakistan on November 8 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad. De Kock surpassed the renowned Graeme Smith, becoming only the fifth South African cricketer to achieve 7,000 runs in ODIs.
This significant milestone was reached in the crucial match against Pakistan, where de Kock extended his impressive form after coming out of ODI retirement for this series. He also moved ahead of Graeme Smith in the list of South Africa’s top ODI run scorers during his innings.
De Kock’s achievement was highlighted by his third consecutive fifty-plus score in the series, contributing a steady 53 off 70 deliveries, including six boundaries and a maximum. With this, he now stands at 7,009 runs from 158 matches, boasting an average of 46.72 and a strike rate of 96.47. His remarkable record features 22 centuries, 32 fifties, and a top score of 178.
Surpassing Graeme Smith’s career tally of 6,989 runs from 196 ODIs, de Kock now holds the fifth position among South Africa’s highest ODI run scorers. Leading the list are Jacques Kallis with 11,150 runs, followed by AB de Villiers (9,427 runs), Hashim Amla (8,113 runs), and Herschelle Gibbs (8,094 runs).
De Kock’s partnership with Pretorius, who scored 39 off 45 balls, laid a solid foundation for the Proteas with a 72-run opening stand. However, the team faltered as Pakistan’s bowlers Abrar Ahmed (4/27), Mohammed Nawaz (2/31), and Shaheen Shah Afridi (2/18) dismantled the rest of the lineup, limiting South Africa to 143 runs in 37.5 overs.