JOHANNESBURG: “First and foremost is building a winning Proteas team,” South Africa coach Rob Walter said when asked to describe the white shirts of his 2024 T20 World Cup squad.
“You have to pick the best team and the best opportunity for it.”
Coming from most national coaches, this would indicate the obvious.
But, according to Walter, this marks a change in policy by his employer, Cricket South Africa (CSA), and his immediate boss, director of cricket Enoch Nkwe.
CSA chief executive Pholetsi Moseki told the Sport24 website that he was concerned about the composition of the squad selected by Walter, but added that he and Nkwe had “cricketing reasons” for gender balance.
The 15-man squad for the June 1-29 tour of the US and West Indies includes nine whites, only one black African – fast bowler Kagiso Rabada – and five mixed or Asian players.
Not since 2016 have the Whites dominated an International Cricket Council event in South Africa at the T20 World Cup in India.
A month after the 2016 tournament, sports minister Fikile Mbalula said the CSA would not be allowed to host major international events following a report by a government-appointed committee that the pace of change in the sport was too slow.
Later that year, the CSA announced that official targets for gender representation, to be assessed over the course of one season, would be implemented immediately.
A team of 11 can have a maximum of five whites and a minimum of two black Africans.
Moseki said the quota at domestic level, which calls for at least three black Africans in the starting squad, is aimed at ensuring a greater number of black players at international level.
He said, the goal for the national team remains.
Walter and Test coach Shukri Conrad were appointed in January last year and given sole authority to make the selection, but Walter told reporters at the squad announcement: “My squad will not be selected without consulting the Director of Cricket.”
“We have different formats where some players can struggle and do better than others,” Nkwe said. Walter said he hopes more black players will come.
