Bavuma de Kock Heated Exchange During South Africa vs Australia ODI Goes Viral

A tense moment between Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock grabbed attention during the second ODI between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

The two experienced South African players were caught on camera having an animated exchange after a crucial LBW appeal against Australia’s Xavier Bartlett. The disagreement happened late in Australia’s chase, with the visitors still fighting to stay in the contest.

Watch: Bavuma and De Kock’s Heated Exchange

The incident occurred in the 48th over with Lizaad Williams bowling to Bartlett.

Williams struck Bartlett on the pads and South Africa appealed strongly for LBW. However, the on-field umpire did not give the batter out.  That immediately created a discussion between the South African players over whether they should use their remaining DRS opportunity.

Bavuma and de Kock appeared to disagree strongly about the decision. Their animated conversation was captured by the television cameras, while Marco Jansen was also seen getting involved as the situation unfolded.

VIDEO: Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock’s heated DRS exchange

Heated argument between Bavuma and De Kock 👀 https://t.co/P44OMFWU1V

— CSK Core (@CSKCore) September 28, 2026

Bavuma’s Review Decision Paid Off

Despite the disagreement, Bavuma ultimately decided to challenge the umpire’s call. Ball-tracking showed the delivery would have hit the stumps, resulting in the on-field decision being overturned. Bartlett was dismissed after making a rapid 50 from 28 balls, ending an important Australian partnership and reducing the visitors’ chances of completing the chase.

The successful review also added another layer to the already tense exchange because Bavuma’s decision turned out to be correct.

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Why Was the Moment So Important?

Australia were still within striking distance when the incident happened. The visitors had reached 322/8 and needed another 43 runs from 14 deliveries. Bartlett was attacking aggressively and had reached his half-century from only 28 balls.

Therefore, removing him at that stage was significant for South Africa. The successful review gave the Proteas another major breakthrough as they closed out the match.

South Africa Beat Australia by 32 Runs

The heated exchange became one of the talking points from a match that otherwise belonged to South Africa.

Earlier, Temba Bavuma scored 103, while David Miller produced a spectacular 142 from 93 balls. Their performances helped South Africa post 365/9.

Australia responded with 333 before being bowled out in the final over.

The 32-run victory gave South Africa an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

Miller and Bavuma Power South Africa’s Victory

Miller’s century was particularly destructive, with the left-hander hitting 12 fours and nine sixes.

Bavuma, meanwhile, provided the stability at the other end with his sixth ODI century.

The pair shared a huge partnership that changed the direction of South Africa’s innings and gave the bowlers a strong total to defend.

South Africa then used its spin options effectively during Australia’s chase, with Keshav Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin among the bowlers who caused problems in the middle overs.

What Happened Between Bavuma and De Kock?

The footage shows Bavuma and de Kock involved in an intense discussion over the DRS call.

However, the available footage does not establish the players’ exact words or the full context of their conversation. What is clear is that they disagreed over whether South Africa should review the LBW decision.

Bavuma eventually made the call to review, and the decision was overturned.

That made the incident one of the most discussed moments from the second ODI.

South Africa Take 2-0 Series Lead

The victory secured the ODI series for South Africa with one match still remaining.

The third and final ODI is scheduled for September 30 in Potchefstroom. Australia will now look to avoid a series whitewash after losing the opening two matches.

For South Africa, the series has provided another strong performance against Australia ahead of the 2027 Cricket World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

FAQs

What happened between Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock?
The South African teammates had an animated disagreement over whether to take a DRS review against Australia’s Xavier Bartlett.

Was Bavuma’s DRS review successful?
Yes. The review overturned the original not-out decision and Bartlett was dismissed.

How many runs did Xavier Bartlett score?
Bartlett scored 50 runs from 28 balls before being dismissed.

Who won the second ODI between South Africa and Australia?
South Africa won by 32 runs and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

When is the third ODI?
The final ODI is scheduled for September 30, 2026, in Potchefstroom.