"It’s a concern" - CSA CEO unsettled over only 1 Black African player in South Africa's T20 World Cup 2024 squad

Cricket South Africa (CSA) CEO Pholetsi Moseki has raised concerns about only one Black African player in the Proteas' squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. However, Moseki also disclosed head coach Rob Walter's confirmation that a specific number of players of colour wasn't required for the showpiece event.

With Temba Bavuma axed from the T20 World Cup squad due to poor form, Kagiso Rabada remains the only Black African player in the touring party to the West Indies and USA. It is reportedly the lowest number of Black African players in a South Africa squad at an ICC event since 2016.

Speaking to News24, Moseki underlined his concerns and stated:

"That’s there to ensure that by the time one gets to the national team, they won’t be questioned as a quota player. If there aren’t enough black players raising their hands at domestic level, there won’t be enough to get through to the national team. It’s a concern that we’re taking a team to the World Cup with only one black African player and in conjunction with the director of cricket [Enoch Nkwe], there were cricket reasons. The Proteas’ [transformation] targets aren’t based on the numbers they send to tournaments, but the numbers are based on how they average over a season."

Bavuma captained South Africa in the 2022 T20 World Cup, with the national team eliminated after a shocking loss to the Netherlands. The right-hander's form was a massive concern throughout the tournament, aggregating only 70 runs in five matches at 17.50.

"The reality and my No. 1 imperative is to create a winning Proteas team" - South Africa head coach

South African cricket team. (Credits: Getty)

After announcing the squad on Tuesday, head coach Rob Walter suggested that they had picked the best team possible. However, Walter believes the system needs to improve so that the demographics look different come the 2027 ODI World Cup. He said:

"The reality and my No. 1 imperative is to create a winning Proteas team. In order to do that, every time I have to pick the best at the time that I think will give us a chance of doing that. The system really needs to up the ante so that in six months, 12 months or two years time, and particular when we reach the 2027 [ODI] World Cup at home, that we the demographics and representation in our team starts to look a bit different."

The Proteas are clubbed with Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, Nepal, and Bangladesh in Group D at T20 World Cup.