Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock made himself unavailable for South Africa’s T20 World Cup match against West Indies after refusing to take the knee.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) issued a directive before the match that all players should make the gesture.
Captain Temba Bavuma said at the toss in Dubai that De Kock, 28, withdrew “for personal reasons”.
CSA said it would “await a further report from team management before deciding on next steps”.
De Kock, who has previously declined to take a knee in June said “My reason? I’ll keep it to myself. It’s my own, personal opinion. It’s everyone’s decision; no-one’s forced to do anything, not in life. That’s the way I see things.”
The CSA statement read, “All players are expected to follow this directive for the remaining games of the World Cup. After considering all relevant issues, including the freedom of choice of players, the board had made it clear it was imperative for the team to be seen taking a stand against racism, especially given SA’s history.”
–BBC Sport–
