Lungi Ngidi Urges South Africa To Take A Stand On The Black Lives Matter Movement

South Africa paceman Lungi Ngidi has stepped forward and spoken on the ongoing racism movement. Racial discrimination and abuse reared its ugly head the last week of May as a cop killing an innocent black man named George Floyd at Minneapolis in the United States sparked massive outrage. Sportspersons, including cricketers, have come out and shared their experiences on the same while also condemning it.

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When taken South Africa into account, before their country’s isolation from national sports in 1970, the players were only white. And players from black origin used to be excluded from participating at the international level. Speedster Lungi Ngidi is only the ninth black African to play Test cricket for South Africa. People all over the world have held protests, joining the movement known as “Black Lives Matter Movement.

With England and West Indies set to take part in the three-Test series beginning on the 8th of July, both sides will don the logo “Black Lives Matter” on their jerseys. West Indies’ coach Phil Simmons was one of the prominent figures from the cricketing world, who recently revealed having subjected to racial abuse when playing league cricket in England.

It’s something that we need to take very seriously: Lungi Ngidi

As far as Lungi Ngidi is concerned, he admits that South Africa has a past with racism which is quite frustrating. Hence, Ngidi vows to discuss it as a team or at least he would take the initiative to bring it up.

At present, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Andile Phehlukwayo, and Temba Bavuma are the ones, who are regular South African national players. Ngidi also won the award for Cricket South Africa’s T20 player of the year.

“As a nation, we have a past that is very difficult, with racial discrimination, so it’s definitely something we will be addressing as a team and if we are not, it’s something I will bring up,” Ngidi told ESPN Cricinfo.

The Durban-born seamer further said that the issue of racial discrimination has to be taken seriously like all other countries and take a stand against it.

“It’s something that we need to take very seriously and like the rest of the world is doing, make the stand,” the 24-year old added.

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