AB de Villiers, a retired cricketer of South Africa, expressed his disappointment about the on-going talk on racial quotas in the South African national cricket team a few weeks before the World Cup.
Although he knows that it is not new, but thinks it is bad that this matter has to be the focus before big tournaments. This time around however De Villiers who retired in 2018 is happy to be just an observer.
“Going into a tournament it’s sad having that as your focal point.
I mean it’s a shame; I mean we have been here before. But fortunately for me, I’ve had nothing to do with any of that over there. I am only watching”. These were words he said in an interaction shared by Jio Cinema with an Indian journalist from Mumbai, Anant Pednekar.
This controversy arises because there is only one colored player in the South African Team selected for upcoming T20 WC which will start from June1 and will be held across Americas.
With less than ideal build-up and their first match against Netherlands on 8th June at New York City being overshadowed by such a divisive issue, often considered favorites but more often known as chokers SA are in messy situation
The policy introduced in 2016 states that there should be six players of colour inclusive of two black Africans forming part of the playing eleven for every season of cricket played by South Africa..
Since Kagiso Rabada is also set to appear as lone black African among T20 World Cup squad members, this goal seems unachievable. Lungi Ngidi , another black African player ,is part of travelling reserves
“And so like always there are some controversial moments back home with the Proteas leading up to a World Cup. AB a good team I think. Shame about Lungi… lost a bit of form ,had couple injuries,” he said.“Otherwise he probably would have been in the squad and no controversial stuff back home.”
