Quinton de Kock sets Twitter ablaze with record-shattering century against KKR.

By Neil Manthorp.

Quinton de Kock smashed an extraordinary 140 not out from just 70 balls and added 210 for the first wicket with KL Rahul to boost the Lucknow Super Giants to a daunting total of 210 without loss but they still had to scrap to a nail-biting, two-run victory in their IPL match against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the DY Patil Sports Academy Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.

It was the highest opening partnership in IPL history but KKR came agonisingly close to overhauling it as they finished on 208-8.

KKR’s run-chase began disastrously with left arm seamer Mohsin Khan dismissing openers Venkatesh Iyer (0) and debutant Abhijeet Tomar (4) in his first two overs to reduce the innings to 9-2, Iyer falling to a stunning catch by de Kock diving full-length to claim an inside edge.

But captain Shreyas Iyer (50 from 29 balls) and Nitish Rana (42 from 22) counter-attacked with gusto until caught in the deep and an extraordinary innings of 40 from 15 balls by Rinku Singh (2×4, 4×6) kept KKR’s hopes alive. Sunil Narine also smashed three sixes in his unbeaten 21 from seven balls.

With just five runs required from three balls Singh was spectacularly caught, one-handed, by a diving Evin Lewis in the deep and last man Umesh Yadav, needing three to win from the final ball, was bowled by Marcus Stoinis who had, barely, defended 21 from the final over.

De Kock was in scintillating and creative form hooking, driving, slog-sweeping and even reverse-sweeping 10 sixes during his second IPL century which came from just 59 balls and also included 10 fours.

It was comfortably a career-best surpassing his 108 from 51 balls against RCB in 2016 and also comfortably the highest score of this year’s tournament beating Jos Buttler’s 116 for the Rajasthan Royals.

Captain Rahul was content to play the junior role with 68* from 51 deliveries with three fours and four sixes.

Tim Southee (4-0-57-0) was hit for four sixes in his final over, the 19th of the innings, while Andre Russell was the other bowler to bear the brunt of the assault in the final few overs conceding an eye-watering 45 from just three overs.  

Having occupied a top-two place for the last month Lucknow had slipped to third behind the Rajasthan Royals, level with 16 points but with a slightly inferior net run-rate, before this game but have now secured their place in the play-offs.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Quinton de Kock’s knock:

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