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August 11, 2024
“It didn’t put any more pressure on me at all, being the only black player in the team; that would’ve been torture”
If Kagiso Rabada had focused solely on being the only Black African player in South Africa’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad, he would have endured immense pressure throughout the tournament. He acknowledged that carrying such a burden could have been incredibly taxing “didn’t put any more pressure on me at all”. Instead, Rabada embraced his role and encouraged a broader discussion on issues of transformation.
“I’m a black player, yes. If I don’t feel like I should have been there on merit and if people don’t feel that way, then it’s fine. I’m not invincible. I can be dropped as well but I believe in myself,” Rabada shared this insight from Trinidad, where South Africa is gearing up for a two-Test series against the West Indies.
Asked about the attention on the number of players in the squad, particularly the Black African contingent, and whether that increased expectations for him, Rabada responded “It didn’t put any more pressure on me at all. It would be such a heavy thought, during a World Cup, thinking about yourself being the only black player in a team. That seems like torture for me. That just takes away from focus.”
If there’s one thing South Africa demonstrated at the tournament, it was focus. They achieved their most successful men’s World Cup performance, embarking on an unbeaten eight-match streak to reach their first final. Although they narrowly lost to India, they were praised for their impressive progress. However, the composition of the squad drew criticism from various political and administrative quarters and was a significant topic at CSA’s recent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Indaba (DEI conference).
CSA has recognized the shortcomings in its policies, particularly regarding the insufficient number of Black African players for the national squad. The board has committed to addressing white-ball coach Rob Walter’s call for the domestic system to ‘up the ante’ in preparation for the 2027 home World Cup. At the same time, CSA acknowledges the importance of maintaining current transformation numbers to meet the sports ministry’s standards and has faced scrutiny over the inclusion of only one Black African player in its T20 World Cup 2024 squad. As a result, Rabada understands the intense focus on him.
“These are certain challenges [we face] and you ask a valid question because you wonder how players must have felt in the past, how players in the future might feel. And these are things we need to address,” he said. “For me, it was just about winning [the World Cup]. But for other players, you never know how it feels. And also, what the media has to say about the situation can really mess up the players’ psychology or psyche. Those are certain things that we have to make peace with in South Africa because there’s a very unique landscape. And this whole transformation thing, it always seems to bubble up when we’re at World Cups for some reason.”
A brief history: South Africa has had transformation targets since 1999, seven years after readmission, making the drive for change a 25-year endeavor. Initially, the national team was required to include four players of color (any players who were not white) in each XI. Since 2016, the target has become more specific yet more flexible. Currently, the national men’s team must field an average of six players of color per season, with at least two of them being Black African.
The use of an average to calculate the target means the numbers don’t apply to individual games. This allowed South Africa to enter the T20 World Cup with only six players of color in the squad, including just one Black African, while still meeting the target over the course of the season. This was the first time since 2016 that a South African World Cup squad included only six players of color and the first time since 2015 that the squad featured just one Black African player.
The 2015 ODI World Cup prompted a reassessment of the transformation policy after Aaron Phangiso, the only Black African player in that squad, did not get a chance to play throughout the tournament. Additionally, the 2015 World Cup highlighted issues with the transformation agenda when then-CEO Haroon Lorgat contacted coach Russell Domingo the night before the semi-final, emphasizing the commitment to fielding four players of color in each XI. As a result, Vernon Philander was selected over Kyle Abbott for the crucial match against New Zealand.
During this T20 World Cup, South Africa consistently fielded only four players of color per XI, with Kagiso Rabada being the sole Black African player. While it was not explicitly stated that Rabada was expected to play every match, his absence in any game would have left the team without a Black African player. Rabada finished as South Africa’s second-highest wicket-taker, behind Anrich Nortje. The inclusion of Rabada, as a South African all-time great, in XIs is hardly ever up for debate but he explained there may be instances in which players of colour have cause to question themselves.
“You ask yourself, what are some of these factors that might make a player feel that way [that they are only included because of their colour], and it’s factors such as we lost because of transformation or because we had to include players of colour or black Africans. And that always happens in World Cups,” he said. “When we’re winning series and we’re winning or losing other games, it’s not so much of an issue, so that’s where it might be a bit inconsistent. And if you ask yourself truthfully, looking back in the past, have we not won a World Cup because of transformation? You know, I mean, like, really? So sometimes things can get blown out of proportion.”
“It’s not a system that is particularly easy to just understand and move on from. It’s something that has to be looked at in context”
Reflecting on 2015, it’s clear that transformation policies cannot be blamed for South Africa’s loss. Selection interference occurred in the semi-final, and it’s impossible to predict how the team might have performed against Australia in a final held in Melbourne.
The 2022 T20 World Cup presented a different scenario, as South Africa chose to include the underperforming Temba Bavuma due to his role as captain. Despite this decision, their chances of winning the trophy were slim. They were ultimately eliminated in the group stage, suffering one of their worst World Cup performances after a loss to the Netherlands.
So Rabada, and CSA DEI Mudutambi Ravele, who last week asked whether the 2024 T20 World Cup squad did well “because they didn’t have black players” are right: South Africa have not lost a World Cup because of transformation. But there are still discussions to be had about how best to manage the issue of redress and a player like Rabada, who carries the current baton for black cricketing excellence, understands that.
“It’s a unique system and a lot of people have different opinions on it because of where our country comes from,” he said. “And it’s not a system that is particularly easy to just understand and move on from. It’s something that has to be looked at in context.”
He can also distinguish between personal challenges and celebrating achievements, regardless of background. When asked about South African swimmer Tatjana Smith winning gold in the 100-meter breaststroke at the Paris Olympics, Rabada swiftly praised her accomplishment, highlighting both the similarities and differences between their experiences.
“She’s been making us proud. She’s phenomenal and really inspiring. When I look at that as an athlete, it makes me want to achieve the same feat,” he said. “She’s a white swimmer and I’m a black man, but as an athlete and as someone who wants to aspire to be better and better, I think she’s done a remarkable job. And people are watching. And they want to emulate that. Whatever field that they’re in, they just want to do the same things that these people are doing, representing us all over the world.”
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for The Wicket Insider, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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