Australia's Big Bash League has emerged arsenic an improbable cricket lifeline for exiled South Africa skipper Quinton de Kock.
De Kock dropped a bombshell connected the Twenty20 World Cup connected Tuesday nighttime (AEDT) erstwhile helium withdrew from the Proteas' lucifer against the West Indies astatine the past minute.
He opted retired of the contention aft Cricket South Africa had instructed its players they indispensable instrumentality a knee pre-game successful enactment of the Black Lives Matter movement, which condemns racism worldwide.
Sportspeople person latched onto the question implicit the past 18 months and it's present communal to spot nonrecreational athletes instrumentality a genu and rise a fist successful the aerial earlier competing.
But de Kock boycotted South Africa's World Cup aft being told helium had to admit the question by taking a genu alongside his teammates.
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There was contiguous speculation helium whitethorn ne'er play for the Proteas again.
Less than 24 hours later, a study by an Australian media outlet claimed astatine slightest 1 BBL nine has already reached retired to de Kock's absorption to gauge involvement successful playing Down Under.
Australian opener David Warner was asked astir the script erstwhile helium spoke to media from the UAE.
"That's fast. Is that predicting helium volition permission South Africa?" Warner said of the BBL speculation.
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"Obviously that would beryllium large for the Big Bash. If the accidental was determination for him I'm definite helium mightiness instrumentality that.
"There's evidently a batch of different leagues astir the satellite that different South African players are participating in. It would beryllium bully for immoderate planetary subordinate to travel down to Australia and participate."
Warner was asked specifically what helium thought of Cricket South Africa imposing the mandate connected players to instrumentality a knee, and de Kock's refusal.
The Australian squad has adopted its ain version, present forming a ellipse pre-game to recognise Aboriginal past and communities.
But Warner says Cricket Australia has ne'er forced players to recognise immoderate movement.
"From my position I can't speech astir what's happening successful their (South Africa) camp," Warner said.
"In my opinion, for america astatine home, we instrumentality portion successful the barefoot circle. We recognise our indigenous peoples and condemn racism globally.
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"From our stance, we respect the determination of the opponents. The captains volition evidently talk astir it earlier we play arsenic well, and we volition instrumentality the knee.
"That's my stance. I can't spell into the South African medication making their squad instrumentality a knee. It's evidently their decision.
"It's a squad thing, truthful we bash that. We admit it and we volition reciprocate, 2 captains get unneurotic and if the opponents privation to instrumentality a genu we volition ever admit that and respect that."
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