Lungi Ngidi, the Proteas bowler, has spoken about the prejudice he witnessed in his own family and how it influenced his own perspective.
There has been a lot of discussion about racism in South Africa. There have been allegations of racism in the sport of cricket in the United States as well. The ‘Black Lives Matter movement has frequently had the active support of the South African cricket squad. Nearly all of South Africa’s games at the UAE T20 World Cup in 2021 were played on knees. Now, in an interview, veteran Proteas bowler Lungi Ngidi has discussed the racial experience of his family members, which affected his thought process.
“While working as a gas station attendant, one white client refused to give my dad his money. He just threw it on the floor,” Lungi Ngidi recalled in an interview with The Guardian.
“That’s a story I don’t think I’ll ever forget. It was just so demeaning. It took a lot of guts for my father to carry on with his life as if nothing had happened, but this is how my parents raised me. Hearing their experiences was both eye-opening and heartbreaking because such wounds never truly heal.”
South Africa’s ODI and T20 Cricketer-of-the-Year in 2020, the lanky fast bowler has also been a strong supporter of the ‘Black Lives Matter cause. Several former South African cricketers, on the other hand, slammed him for his position.
“In fact, I didn’t think I had done anything wrong,” the 26-year-old exclaims. Nobody was harmed by my actions. However, I am aware of our country’s history and the fact that racism still exists in South Africa and must be addressed. I was reminded of the stories my parents had told me, and I vowed to do everything in my power to prevent this from happening to any of my friends or future family members.”
