Story Source: WION
May 18, 2024
Cricket South Africa (CSA) have received criticism for not meeting its ‘transformational targets’ by having only a solitary black African, Kagiso Rabada, in the Aiden Markram-led South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad. The mega event kicks off soon after IPL 2024, in the West Indies and USA in June. The Proteas are placed in Group D along with Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Coming to SA’s provisional 15-man squad, it features six players of colour, including Rabada. Notably, CSA’s policy requires that over a season, six players of colour should be in the South African playing XI, with at least two from the black African community. With Rabada being the sole black African in the T20 WC squad, the team is set to give this target a miss.
The other players of colour in the squad comprise Reeza Hendricks, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Ottniel Baartman. Lungi Ngidi, another black African, is only part of the travelling reserves.
Former South Africa Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, thus, questioned the composition of the squad. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “Only one African player selected in the Proteas Team for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. This is definitely a reversal of the gains of transformation and does not reflect fair representation of all South Africans in the national cricket team.”
Former CSA and ICC president Ray Mali also shared his concerns, stating that the game is regressing in the African nation.
“I believe a lot has been achieved, but we have taken a step backward in terms of cricket – we are not progressing,” Mali told SABC Sport.
He further opined, “I cannot understand why we can’t have a larger number of black players in the South African cricket team at this day and age – it is not acceptable. We have betrayed the people who asked us to negotiate unity for this country.”
Mali added, “Players are mentored and monitored from their early days to the top, so you know which players will represent South Africa.”
It is to be noted that CSA currently lacks a committee of selectors. The team is selected by head coaches Shukri Conrad (Tests) and Rob Walter (ODI and T20Is).
Walter, on the other hand, defended the main squad, stressing that the domestic circuit lacks the depth to assemble a more diverse team.
Any participating team can make modifications to their squad till May 25, without International Cricket Council (ICC)’s sanction. Teams will then require approval from ICC’s technical committee.
