Cricket South Africa (CSA) finds itself embroiled in controversy following the announcement of the Proteas squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, which includes only one black African player, Kagiso Rabada. This selection has drawn criticism from former South Africa Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula and former CSA chief Ray Mali, who argue that the game’s progress in the country has stalled.
The provisional 15-man squad comprises six players of colour, with Kagiso Rabada representing the sole black African inclusion. CSA’s policy mandates that over a season, the South African playing eleven must include at least six players of colour, with a minimum of two from the black African community.
However, with Rabada being the solitary representative, the national team falls short of meeting this requirement. Among the other players of colour in the squad are Reeza Hendricks, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Ottniel Baartman.
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Lungi Ngidi, another black African cricketer, serves as one of the travelling reserves but is not part of the primary squad. Notably absent from the T20 World Cup side is ODI captain Temba Bavuma.
Criticism was directed at CSA for selecting only one black African player in the T20 World Cup 2024 squad.https://t.co/j9SHwYGPBU#T20WorldCup2024
— CricInside365 (@CricInside365) May 16, 2024
Expressing dismay over the lack of representation, Mbalula voiced his concerns on social media, highlighting the perceived regression in transformation efforts within the national cricket team. Similarly, Ray Mali decried the dearth of black players in the squad, lamenting the failure to uphold the principles of unity and inclusivity.
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Mali further advocated for the reinstatement of a selection committee to ensure a more inclusive and diverse team selection process. Presently, CSA lacks a committee of selectors, with head coaches Shukri Conrad (Tests) and Rob Walter (ODI and T20Is) responsible for team selection.
In response to criticism, Walter defended the squad selection, citing limitations within the domestic cricket circuit in fostering diversity. He contends that the current pool of talent does not offer sufficient depth to assemble a more representative team for international competition.c
