He felt as if he had longed for this opportunity. Veteran South African batsman Quinton de Kock proved that he is worth much more than just warming the benches for Mumbai Indians as he smashed a 53-ball century against a high-quality Punjab Kings side at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. MI vs PBKS: Update | Scorecard
De Kock, who was not included in the XI in MI’s first four matches despite being in rich form, was given an opportunity in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Rohit was ruled out of Thursday’s game due to a hamstring injury he sustained over the weekend.
De Kock opened the batting alongside his South African teammate Ryan Rickelton and made his intentions clear on the very first delivery he faced. The left-hander, known for his elegance and power, crushed Marc Jansen into the stands with a lofted cover drive.
Even after Mumbai Indians lost Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav in consecutive deliveries in the third over and slipped to 12 for 2, De Kock ensured they were not left behind during the power play.
De Kock and Naman Dhir, who was promoted to No. 4, put together a 122-run partnership from 66 deliveries.
De Kock hit seven sixes and eight boundaries to remain unbeaten on 112 off 60 deliveries. The South African batsman was particularly tough against Yuzvendra Chahal, smashing the leg-spinner for three sixes and putting sustained pressure on the rest of the bowling attack.
Mumbai Indians finished with 195 on the board in their 20 overs, thanks to De Kock’s marathon knock in which he carried the bat.
STEALING FOR BOMBAY INDIANS?
Mumbai Indians snapped up De Kock in the accelerated round of the IPL 2026 auction for Rs 1 crore. When his name came up, there were no competing bids – surprising at first glance, but understandable considering he hadn’t had white-ball cricket for some time.
It has since proved to be a steal for Mumbai Indians. With a hundred in his first outing, De Kock sent a strong message to the coaching staff and captain Hardik Pandya that he cannot stay on the bench in this form.
With Rohit Sharma back in action, De Kock could easily replace Rickelton, who has had a scratchy and inconsistent start to the season.
De Kock’s decision to reverse his international retirement at the end of 2025 has already paid dividends, re-establishing him as a cornerstone of South Africa’s white-ball plans. His return was preceded by a dominant SA20 2026 campaign with Sunrisers Eastern Cape, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer. De Kock amassed 390 runs in 12 matches at an average of 39.00 and a blistering pace of 148.85, including a superb unbeaten 79 that helped him secure the Player of the Season award.
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– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
16 Apr 2026 22:15 IST
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