South Africa and the Netherlands have developed a fascinating rivalry in recent years, with the Dutch pulling off consecutive upsets in ICC tournaments.
As the teams faced off again, Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to have the Netherlands bat first under pleasant weather conditions. As usual, Marco Jansen took the new ball and made an immediate impact, securing a wicket in the first over thanks to a bold DRS call from Quinton de Kock that defied expectations.
On the third ball of the first over, Jansen delivered a good length ball outside the fourth stump. The delivery climbed sharply and moved slightly inward. Levitt, attempting to score with a drive away from his body, got an inside edge that was later confirmed by UltraEdge.
The on-field umpire initially ruled Not Out, and the Proteas, including Jansen, seemed to agree. Levitt, confident there was no bat involved, even fist-pumped his partner. However, de Kock was convinced he heard a noise and persuaded the captain to go for a review.
The UltraEdge revealed a spike, confirming de Kock’s intuition, and the Proteas celebrated as Jansen drew first blood. Replays later showed Jansen was unsure if there had been any contact, as he gestured with a hand to his ear.
Yet, de Kock’s confident challenge against the odds led to a successful review and earned admiration across the Twitterverse for his sharp awareness and crucial decision-making.
