johannesburg. Cricket South Africa (CSA) is being criticized for including only one black African player in the form of Kagiso Rabada in the T20 World Cup squad. South Africa’s 15-member team includes six black players including Rabada. But Rabada is the only black African. Other black players include Reeza Hendricks, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj, Tabrez Shamsi and Otiniel Bartman.
As part of CSA’s aim to bring about change, South Africa is required to have six black players in its playing eleven during a season, of which two black players must be African. But there is only one African black player in the form of Rabada in the team selected for the T20 World Cup. CSA is being criticized for not meeting its target.
Former South African Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula raised questions on the team selection and wrote on ‘X’, “Only one black African player has been selected in the South African team for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. This certainly contradicts the goal of bringing about change and is not a fair representation of the South African people. Speaking on SABC Sport, CSA and former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ray Malley said the country was lagging behind in the game.
He said, “I believe that a lot has been achieved.” But I believe that we are lagging behind in terms of cricket. Instead of moving forward, we have taken a step backward. He said, “I am not able to understand why we cannot have more black players in the South African cricket team. This is not acceptable. ,
CSA currently does not have a selection committee and the team is selected by head coaches Shukri Conrad (Test) and Rob Walter (white-ball cricket). Walter defended the selection of the team selected for the ICC tournaments to be held in America and West Indies, saying that there is no such depth for selection in the domestic circuit. Lungi Ngidi is also a black African who will go with the team as a reserve but he is not a part of the main team.