‘Superstar’ Ngidi the new kid on the rise
AS HE ripped through Sri Lanka’s batting order this past Sunday, Lungi Ngidi’s name began echoing throughout The Wanderers.
The Durban-born seamer had just taken four wickets to put the visitors under immense pressure as they looked to chase down a target of 114 set by the Proteas.
Ngidi was stunned by the fans’ support. His name had never before been chanted around a stadium. “I think this is something that will take a while to get used to. It was a special feeling,” Ngidi said.
However, the 20-year-old’s impressive figures of 4/19 weren’t enough to prevent Sri Lanka successfully reaching their target.
But it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Proteas. The crowd at the Bullring had witnessed the birth of another superstar bowler.
Ngidi was later bombarded by fans, asking for pictures and autographs. “The response over the last week has been amazing,” he said.
So far, Ngidi has played in three T20 games for the Proteas, managing six wickets. His impressive haul in the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka prompted Cricket South Africa to include him for the ODI series against the tourists.
But an abdominal injury has ruled him out for three to four weeks.
“Making my debut for the Proteas was a dream come true. There was a mixture of nerves and excitement. It’s not every day that you walk out to represent your country,” Ngidi said.
His performances for the Proteas have been hailed by his teammates, with standin T20 captain Farhaan Behardien labelling him a “superstar”. He has also caught the attention of ODI captain AB de Villiers.
“He’s a youngster with a good head on his shoulders. Very humble. He is prepared to work hard and knows where he comes from,” De Villiers said.
Cricket analysts around the world have also singled out Ngidi as a player to watch for South Africa.
“I know what I have to focus on so that keeps me in check. It’s nice to hear the words of encouragement and that is something that motivates me,” the youngster said.
“I have a good support system around me so that helps a lot to handle any extra pressure there might be.”
He was inspired by the rise of his Proteas teammate Kagiso Rabada, and the fellow paceman’s international success pushed him to earn a spot in the national team.
Ngidi is now looking forward to testing himself against the likes of India captain and star batsman Virat Kohli in the future.
“Kohli is considered to be one of the best in the world. That’s where you can measaure your skill and test where you’re at,” he said.