As the dust settles on South Africa’s promising but eventually failed attempt at winning the T20 World Cup in UAE, their skipper Temba Bavuma addressed the elephant in the room. Bavuma spoke about the Cricket South Africa enforced necessity for players to take the knee throughout their campaign at the ICC event.
CSA had directed all its players to portray the gesture meant to stand in favour of the Black Lives Matter campaign aimed to be united against racism.
But Bavuma has now said it was a move “sometimes a bit unfair” on individuals given that the on-ground issues faced by normal South Africans outside due to racial discrimination still persist.
Thus, Bavuma feels it is not certain whether each player in the camp will continue to take the knee and that it is more important that stances in favour of unity shall translate to everyday behaviour.
“The important thing for me is, how does this translate into our everyday life. That for me is the cream on top. We can all go out there, raise our fists, go on the knee, but if deep down in the heart, you’re not really for the cause, and what it stands for, and it doesn’t show in your everyday behaviour then I guess it brings into question the authenticity of it all.”
he was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
The skipper added that the decision to make the anti-racism gestures going forward has to be a “collective” one at players’ will, and it shouldn’t be something that is followed only because the board has “dictated” them to do so.
Bavuma conveyed the need for greater understanding and clarity when it comes to issues like discrimination among his players and hoped that it reflects in the “everyday behaviour” within the camp. This, he said, is also relevant to the country as a whole.
“Not just in our Proteas team, but within the country as a whole. Our country has big big big problems (when it comes to colour-based discrimination) and that’s where the energy, in my opinion, should really be spent,”
he added.
