Hashim Amla comes out in support of Black Lives Matter and Lungi Ngidi
Posts on Instagram of the "delusions" of those who believe in one race being superior to the other
ESPNcricinfo staff
15-Jul-2020
Lee Warren/Getty Images
Hashim Amla, the former South Africa captain, is the latest cricketer to come out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, posting on Instagram of the "delusions" of those who believe in one race being superior to the other. He also registered his backing of fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, thanking him and others who have "stood up for just causes in their own way".
"... The imagined superiority of whites over blacks or blacks over whites, or one nationality over another, is simply delusional. Yes that's right - nothing but delusional," Amla wrote. "However many of us, including myself, have bore the brunt of these delusions and have crazy stories to tell which is why it makes it even more admirable to see exceptional youngsters like @lungingidi doing his bit to represent us all. Thank you brother and all those who stand up for just causes in their own way - publicly and privately."
Amla's post comes a day after 31 prominent current and former South African players of colour wrote a letter in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and Ngidi. The letter's signatories included Makhaya Ntini, Vernon Philander, JP Duminy and Herschelle Gibbs. The letter was in response to events stemming from Ngidi's message that he hoped South Africa's players would join the rest of the world in "making a stand" in support of Black Lives Matter. He was criticised by former players Pat Symcox, Boeta Dippenaar, Rudi Steyn and Brian McMillan for not being equally vocal about the murders of mostly white farmers in the country. The South African Cricketers' Association issued a statement in support of Ngidi, and CSA also made it clear that it was behind the Black Lives Matter movement. Since then, several players of colour have begun telling their stories on social media, including Ashwell Prince, who called the South African system "broken".
Amla said while he agreed that all lives matter, people with darker skins have "had the worst of it". "There are oppressed people here in this country and the world over, of all colours and walks of life, cricket included. However the darker skinned people have had the worst of it. Some may convince themselves otherwise but you have to ask yourself - are those who know the same as those who don't know?
"I stand with all those who are oppressed. And I stand with @lungingidi (again)."