IPL 2020: Cricket gives me a platform and a social responsibility, says Kagiso Rabada

South Africa and Delhi Capitals pacer, Kagiso Rabada believes that cricket provides him with a platform, as well as a responsibility, to fight for the right causes. He is no different from an ordinary man, but being a sportsperson means that the public looks up to his actions and listens to him, believes Kagiso Rabada.

The 25-year-old was speaking in a media interaction on Thursday when he cleared his stand on the Black Lives Matter movement. Kagiso Rabada stressed on the point that he will stand up for what he feels is right, but won’t "shove" his opinion down anyone’s throat.

"There’s nothing different if I compare myself with every other person who hasn’t played cricket, but I am on a stage where people can now listen to me. Cricket gives me a platform and also a social responsibility a reminder that I need to fight for the right causes. But I will never shove my opinion or ideas down anyone’s throat.”

#BlackLivesMatter it’s really that simple !

— Kagiso Rabada (@KagisoRabada25) July 17, 2020

Kagiso Rabada invoked the thoughts of Nelson Mandela, and urged his fellow players to “spread the message of racial equality”.

“Nelson Mandela played a huge role in the world and particularly in South Africa. Fighting for the basic need that is freedom and it is important that nobody feels inferior. Liberation of mind is the most important thing and that’s the message you want to spread as a sportsperson, especially when you do have a platform to express this. It’s important for people to understand on the political front that liberation is very important for human rights, and for humans to be treated with dignity is important,” Kagiso Rabada said.

'c Pant b Rabada' x 1️⃣8️⃣💙@RishabhPant17 and @KagisoRabada25 have combined the most times in @IPL history to get a batsman ☝🏻#Dream11IPL #YehHaiNayiDilli pic.twitter.com/dHmY9MdD75

— Delhi Capitals (Tweeting from 🇦🇪) (@DelhiCapitals) October 22, 2020

Kagiso Rabada’s comments come after Jason Holder voiced his opinion

Before Kagiso Rabada, West Indies and Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Jason Holder opened up about his disappointment at the Black Lives Movement (BLM) being ignored in the IPL.

He expressed his dissatisfaction at none of the IPL teams taking a knee to show their solidarity with the movement. Holder added that he hasn’t had a single conversation about BLM during the IPL.

“To be honest, I haven’t had one conversation up here around it (BLM). Sometimes it seems it has gone unnoticed, which is a sad thing. I guess it’s for us to re-highlight the importance of it, for people to understand what is happening in the world,” Holder said in a video posted in Cricket West Indies website.

Cricket players had started ‘taking a knee’ during the West Indies tour of England earlier this summer. However, there haven’t been any similar gestures or conversations during the ongoing IPL.