Why cricket team is taking knee before T20WC match, controversy so far

Ground Report | New Delhi: Why cricket knee before match; In 2016, American football player Colin Kaepernick's gesture of "taking a knee" increased in protest against racial inequality in the United States. It has been adopted and accepted in the global sporting community as a reminder of the years-long racial discrimination and demands for reform.

But some athletes have been apathetic or resistant to emotion and have refused to kneel, as have their teammates. A divided South African team was ridiculed after a variety of gestures were made by players creating a strange image ahead of Saturday's game against Australia.

Why cricket knee before match

The 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup is a breakthrough in the ICC and other cricket boards' endorsement of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. So far, many countries have knelt to express and applaud their support for the initiative.

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Furthermore, we have seen both sides do the same thing in the India-Pakistan party. While the Indian player, the Pakistani players kept their hands on their chest to show solidarity, they kept their hands on their chest.

What happened overnight?

However, but when it comes to South Africa, the issue becomes a bit more complicated. With the exception of Quinton de Kock, most teammates have knelt in previous games. When he opted out of the crucial game against the West Indies, rumors surfaced.

The scenario happened when fans and analysts noted that De Kock never kneels. It had been a point of contention for some time, but it had become a problem on the world stage. Right after CSA issued a statement ordering all players to kneel, the information of De Kock's absence was made public.

South Africa instituted its policy of apartheid, a system of the racial segregation imposed by the ruling white minority, in 1948. The system was not formally dismantled until 1994. "The Board's view was that while diversity can and should find expression in many facets of daily life, this does not apply when it comes to taking a stand against racism," the CSA statement added.

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Quinton de Kock walks from the field after being sacked against Australia. The statement added that the CSA board is awaiting a new report from team management in light of De Kock's decision. The 28-year-old has not participated in any of South Africa's gestures of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, saying in June that it was due to his “own personal opinion”.

CSA said that the different positions were taken by team members in support of the BLM initiative "created an unintended perception of disparity or lack of support for the initiative."

Does it go back further?

South Africa has a history of racial abuse, discrimination, and segregation but the international sporting community has not always been united in protest. In the early 1970s, former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam banned racially selected South African sports teams from entering the country.

But the rebellious Australian cricket tour of South Africa in the 1980s led by former Test captain Kim Hughes and recently retired chief selector Trevor Hohns went ahead.

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