De Kock fires up old engine to drive Proteas to victory

QUINTON de Kock and the new-ball bowlers showed off the Proteas’ bouncebackability as the visitors levelled up the five-match series at 1-1 with a 51-run victory in the second T20I in New Chandigarh yesterday.

- ZAAHIER ADAMS

QUINTON de Kock bashed 90 to lead the Proteas to a convincing victory in the second T20I against India. | AFP

After a two-ball duck a couple of days ago, De Kock showed the fickleness of the T20 game with a spectacular 90 off just 46 balls to power the Proteas to 213/4 after being inserted on a glorious batting surface at the Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium.

De Kock put himself right back in the frame for T20 World Cup selection, and the IPL shop window with the auction set to be held in a few days' time in Abu Dhabi, with a scintillating innings that was kickstarted with a couple of sixes off Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah.

Unlike in Cuttack a couple of days ago, and during the ODI series when Arshdeep placed the Proteas batters under pressure, it was the left-arm seamer that was now feeling the heat.