South Africa has produced many great players, Jacques Kallis is one of them. He is one of the finest all-rounders of World Cricket and the perfect inspiration for the youngsters. However, he was recently honoured with the Order of Ikhamanga in the Silver Division. The award recognizes the contribution in arts, music, literature, journalism and sports and Kallis got that for his wonderful cricketing career. He has scored 25,534 runs and took 577 wickets in more than 500 International matches. On Thursday, 25th April, the Presidency of South Africa took to Twitter and shared the news.
“For his contribution to the sport of cricket and for placing South Africa on the world sporting map. His stellar career & commitment to the sport inspired many young people to aim for excellence,” the tweet read.
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The Order of #Ikhamanga is bestowed in SILVER on:
JACQUES KALLIS: For his contribution to the sport of cricket and for placing South Africa on the world sporting map. His stellar career & commitment to the sport inspired many young people to aim for excellence.#NationalOrders pic.twitter.com/aL1KEKh3HY
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) April 25, 2019
However, the Chief Executive of Cricket South Africa, Thabang Moroe also praised his achievement.
“It is highly fitting that Jacques should be honoured in this way with this prestigious award. Jacques’ long list of achievements hardly need repeating but suffice it to say he stands alongside the great Sir Garfield Sobers as the greatest batting all-rounder of all time and is certainly our greatest player of the modern era,” Moroe said.
“Most of important of all is the outstanding example he has set for the highest standards of sportsmanship and the traditions of the game to inspire not just aspiring young cricketers but the youth of the entire country,” Moroe further added.
Meanwhile, Kallis replied after seeing the tweet and thanked everyone. In response, his former teammate Faf du Plessis also replied to the tweet, saying that Kallis is the greatest player he has ever played with.
@jacqueskallis75 Well done Toppie.. the greatest player that I have ever played with. Really deserve all the recognition that comes your way. #🐐
— Faf Du Plessis (@faf1307) April 26, 2019
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However, Hashim Amla received the Silver award in 2018, while the former players like Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini both got the award in 2008. Kallis is presently working as the coach of Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing season of Indian Premier League (IPL) while Faf du Plessis is playing for the defending champion Chennai Super Kings in the same tournament.
