Cricket South Africa has announced that U19 captain David Teeger will not lead the Proteas for the upcoming U19 World Cup. The decision comes mainly as a safety concerns as South Africa are the hosts of the tournament. The concerns were raised after Pro-Palestine protesters demanded his sacking before the Cape Town Test.
Back in October of 2022, Teeger shot into the limelight for his controversial statements. While receiving the ‘Rising Star’ award at the Jewish Achiever Awards, he went on to say, “I’ve been awarded this award, and yes, I am now the rising star, but the true rising stars are the young soldiers in Israel.”
But with safety concerns mounting every day, CSA decided to relieve Teeger of his captaincy duties for the ICC tournament. Back for the New Year’s Test, a group of Pro-Palestine supporters protested outside Newlands on Day 1 of the IND vs SA 2nd Test.
Cricket South Africa’s Statement
“As is the case with all such events, CSA has been receiving regular security and risk updates regarding the World Cup. We have been advised that protests related to the war in Gaza can be anticipated at the venues for the tournament.
“We have also been advised that they are likely to focus on the position of the SA Under-19 (SA U19) captain, David Teeger, and that there is a risk that they could result in conflict or even violence, including between rival groups of protestors.
“In all the circumstances, CSA has decided that David should be relieved of the captaincy for the tournament. This is in the best interests of all the players, the SA U19 team and David himself.
The CSA is yet to announce their new skipper for the tournament. On the other hand, David Teeger will continue to be an important member of the team.
