T20 World Cup 2021: “Excuse me for being political, but I cannot shed my skin" - Pommie Mbangwa slams Quinton de Kock
South African wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock came under the scanner after opting out of the ICC T20 World Cup game against West Indies on Tuesday in Dubai.
The decision came moments after Cricket South Africa issued a directive urging their players to take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement ahead of the West Indies clash.
According to reports, Quinton de Kock was dropped from the side against West Indies because he didn’t want to take a knee in support of the BLM movement 😳
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Speculating that Quinton de Kock's decision is tied to the directive, cricketer-turned-commentator Pommie Mbangwa slammed the Proteas cricketer. Speaking on air, he said:
“Excuse me for being political, but I cannot shed my skin. I hope that the discussion at the very least is about how to be united about something that everybody agrees on... also in the hope that there is agreement."
Former West Indies skipper Darren Sammy also joined the chorus, saying:
"Sometimes I don't understand: why is it so difficult to support this movement if you understand what it stands for."
Heinrich Klassen donned the wicket-keeper's gloves in the absence of regular keeper Quinton de Kock.
Quinton de Kock didn't take a knee in the last game against Australia
CSA's directive comes in the wake of a couple of players, namely Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje, deciding not to take a knee in South Africa's last game.
The board's view is that while diversity and individual expression should find their way in many facets, it should not while taking a collective stand against racism. CSA recognized that different postures taken by the team members created a disparity or lack of support to the initiative.
As a result, the board directed the players to take a uniform stand, moving away from their earlier agreement that team members could make their own decisions. In a statement released on Tuesday, CSA said:
"Concerns were raised that the different postures taken by team members in support of the BLM initiative created an unintended perception of disparity or lack of support for the initiative. After considering all relevant issues, including the position of the players, the Board felt that it was imperative for the team to be seen taking a united and consistent stand against racism, especially given SA's history."
The statement continued:
"Several other teams at the World Cup have adopted a consistent stance against the issue and the board felt it is time for all SA players to do the same."
I fear we haven't heard the last of the de Kock issue. I won't be surprised if we don't see him in a Protea shirt again.