‘It's just a shame’ - AB de Villiers scrutinizes talks around South Africa’s selection quota controversy

Former South Africa legend AB de Villiers recently came forward to slam the ongoing discussions around the racial quota in the South Africa national team. With the T20 World Cup 2024 looming on the horizon, Cricket South Africa (CSA) was scrutinised by the fans after the board just picked one black African, namely Kagiso Rabada, in their 15-member squad for the World Cup. 

It is worth noting that South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad features six players of colour, including Rabada. The policy states that over a season, six players of colour should be in South Africa's playing eleven, with at least two from the black African community.

The same target was unable to be met by CSA, as Rabada was the sole black African in the squad. Amid the controversy, AB de Villiers opined that it is a shame that such a topic is being discussed with the World Cup approaching and that he was relieved to just be a spectator now. 

“It's a shame going into a tournament to have the focus on that. I mean it's nothing new, it's just a shame, luckily this time around, I've had nothing to do with anything over there. I'm just a spectator. There are controversial moments back home as per usual with the South African squad just before a World Cup,” AB de Villiers was quoted as saying by IndiaToday. 

I think it's a good team, It's a shame about Lungi: De Villiers

It is worth noting that Reeza Hendricks, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Ottniel Baartman are the other players of colour in the T20 World Cup squad. Lungi Ngidi is another black African in the squad, but he has been included as a reserve and not a part of the main squad due to injury woes. Speaking of the same, AB de Villiers talked about how SA’s side is balanced but was bummed out about Ngidi’s absence. 

“I think it's a good team. It's a shame about Lungi... lost a bit of form, had a couple of injuries. Otherwise, he most probably would have been in the squad and there wouldn't have been any controversial stuff back home," De Villiers concluded.