The son of former South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini, Thando, has exposed the shocking racism his father faced during his time with the national team in the early 2000s. Makhaya was a prolific wicket-taker, with 390 Test and 266 ODI scalps, and played with legends like Shaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Lance Klusener in his 10-year international career. Thando, who spoke on a podcast called The Load Shed, said that his father does not enjoy talking about his cricket journey with the South African Men’s team. Thando said that Makhaya Ntini, who was the first black cricketer to play Test cricket for South Africa, had to struggle for his dignity and respect in the team. Thando revealed how his father felt lonely and alienated while being part of the South African team. Thando also shared his own experiences with racism, such as an incident that almost stopped him from going to an Under-19 camp, which highlight the deep-rooted problems in the sport. “He was fighting for his life in that team, every day. Being the only [black] guy there, it hurts to hear [when he says] he can count how many times he was invited to a dinner with the matesâ€æ…Even though he deserved it,” Thando said.
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