Former South Africa player AB de Villiers recently lashed out at the ongoing discussions around the racial quota in the South Africa team as well. With the T20 World Cup 2024 around the corner, Cricket South Africa (CSA) was scrutinised by the fans after they selected one black African, namely Kagiso Rabada, in their 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup as well.

However, it is worth mentioning that South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad features six players of colour, including Rabada as well. The policy also states that over a season, six players of colour should be in the playing eleven, with at least two from the black African community as well. But the same target was unable to be met by the board, as Rabada was the only black African in the squad. Amid this controversy, legendary player AB de Villiers said that it is a shame that such a topic is being discussed with the World Cup approaching as well.

“It’s a shame going into a tournament to have the focus on that. I mean it’s nothing new, it’s just a shame, luckily this time around, I’ve had nothing to do with anything over there. I’m just a spectator. There are controversial moments back home as per usual with the South African squad just before a World Cup,” AB de Villiers was quoted as saying by India Today.

However, Reeza Hendricks, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Ottniel Baartman are the other players of colour in the T20 World Cup squad as well. Lungi Ngidi is another black African in the squad, but he has been included as a reserve and he is not a part of the main squad due to injury woes as wekk. Speaking of the same, AB de Villiers shared about how SA’s side is balanced but could suffer in Ngidi’s absence.

“I think it’s a good team. It’s a shame about Lungi… lost a bit of form, had a couple of injuries. Otherwise, he most probably would have been in the squad and there wouldn’t have been any controversial stuff back home,” AB de Villiers concluded.