The 2024 T20 World Cup squad announced by the Proteas consists of only one black African player, fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, out of a 15-man team. This selection has sparked discussion regarding the racial composition of the team.
South Africa’s coach, Rob Walter, emphasized that his primary goal is to assemble a victorious team. “To achieve that, I must select the best possible team,” Walter stated, indicating a shift from previous selection policies of Cricket South Africa (CSA) and guided by Enoch Nkwe, the director of cricket.
The racial makeup of the squad, comprising nine white players, one black African, and five players of mixed race or Asian descent, has not been this predominantly white since the 2016 T20 World Cup in India. This selection has raised concerns at the highest levels of CSA, with CEO Pholetsi Moseki acknowledging the issue but also recognizing the “cricket reasons” behind these choices.
Following the slow pace of transformation noted after the 2016 tournament, CSA had implemented formal targets for racial representation, stipulating a maximum of five white players in an 11-man team, including at least two black Africans. These measures aimed to increase the presence of black players at the international level.
Moseki highlighted that while quotas at the domestic level aimed to nurture a broader pool of black talent, the national team targets are assessed over multiple seasons, not just based on one tournament. However, the current T20 World Cup selection proved challenging due to a lack of precedent in recent times.
Both Walter and Shukri Conrad, appointed as coaches with full authority over selection last year, maintain that no team is selected without consulting the director of cricket. Meanwhile, Nkwe pointed out CSA’s ongoing efforts to meet transformation goals, particularly with an eye towards the 2027 50-overs World Cup in South Africa.
Walter expressed hope for a more diverse representation in the future. “The system needs to step up so that by the time we host the 2027 World Cup, the demographics of our team will have changed,” he commented, emphasizing the importance of developing a broader base of players for international competition.
