In a surprising turn of events, South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock has reversed his retirement from One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and has been recalled to the national squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan. The 32-year-old, who retired from ODIs after the 2023 World Cup in India, will now feature in both the ODI and T20I series starting next month. This decision comes ahead of two major global tournaments: the T20 World Cup in 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and the 50-over World Cup in 2027, which South Africa will co-host. De Kock, who last played for the Proteas in the T20 World Cup final in June 2024, has been a dominant force in white-ball cricket, amassing 21 ODI centuries since his debut in 2013, trailing only Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in this period. His return is seen as a significant boost for South Africa, especially after the recent retirement of Heinrich Klaasen, one of the world’s leading T20 batters. South Africa’s head coach, Shukri Conrad, expressed his enthusiasm about De Kock’s return, stating, ‘Quinton’s return to the white-ball space is a major boost for us. His quality and experience will undoubtedly benefit the team.’ De Kock has been active in various T20 leagues this year, including the SA20, Indian Premier League, Major League Cricket, and the Caribbean Premier League. South Africa’s tour of Pakistan will include two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20s, starting on October 12. Captain Temba Bavuma will miss the Tests due to injury, with Aiden Markram stepping in as the leader. Donovan Ferreira will captain the team in a one-off T20 against Namibia following the Pakistan tour.