Kagiso Rabada made his South Africa debut in limited-overs cricket in November 2014, and he then went onto make his Test debut in November 2015. This talented South African International Cricketer plays all formats of the cricket game and is a fast bowler and plays domestic cricket for the Highveld Lions. He is best known by his nickname, KG.
Kagiso Rabada had topped both the ICC ODI Bowler rankings and the ICC Test Bowler rankings by January 2018 and at the age of 22. In July 2018, he became the youngest bowler to take 150 wickets in Tests at the age of 23 years.
Let’s take a look at his life and accomplishments:
Kagiso Rabada Age, Education, Family
Kagiso Rabada was born in Gauteng, South Africa on the 25th May 1995 and is 24 years old. His father, Mpho Rabada is a medical doctor and his mother, Florence Rabada is a lawyer.
Instagram embed
He spent his early years between Mamelodi Township, 20km from Pretoria and Johannesburg West Rand. Rabada spent the first 3 years of his life living with his paternal grandparents, which was not only a cultural tradition, but also an arrangement that allowed his parents to study further, where they both ultimately found employment in their respective fields of law and medicine. The family then moved north of Johannesburg to the plush suburb of Bryanston.
Instagram embed
Not all their extended family followed suit and since Kagiso had regular interaction with his relatives in the townships, he began to understand the difference between his life of financial and domestic comfort in comparison to that of his extended family.
“I saw that my parents worked quite hard and then achieved a lot, so I didn’t feel like at any time I struggled,” Kagiso said.
Kagiso essentially lived between three worlds; that of his extended family, his immediate family and his English/Afrikaans school. His interest in sport began during those years.
Kagiso Rabada Education
Kagiso Rabada attended St Stithians Boys College. This was the same school as New Zealand's Grant Elliot and England's Michael Lumb. He left school in 2013.
Instagram embed
Kagiso Rabada Domestic Career
Kagiso Rabada became the first cricketer to win 6 awards at Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) annual dinner in July 2016, including the prize for Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer and ODI Cricketer of the Year. Wisden named him the best young player in the world in August 2018.
Instagram embed
Kagiso’s career debut was in Gauteng in the CSA Provincial One-Day Competition against Border in December 2013. He was chosen to represent South Africa’s Under-19 side for the 2014 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. The South African side claimed victory and he earned the title of Best Bowler claiming the second most wickets with a total of 14 in the entire tournament at the economy rate of 3.10. He also claimed the best figures of the tournament: 6/25 against Australia A, which led to him being dubbed “the fastest and most feared bowler in the competition”.
Rabada’s Under-19 World Cup performances catapulted him into the Lions franchise for the last 2 games of the Sunfoil Series season. He then took a record 14 wickets in the match for Lions against Dolphins in February 2015 and in February 2016, it was announced that he had signed a short term deal to play county cricket for Kent County Cricket Club in June and July of the English domestic season.
Instagram embed
Rabada was bought by the Dehli Daredevils team in February 2017 for the 2017 Indian Premier League for INR 50 million. He was also bought in January 2018 again by Delhi Capitals in the 2018 IPL auction, but due to a back injury was later ruled out. In 2018 and 2019 he was named in the squad for the Jozi Stars team for Mzansi Super League tournament.
Kagiso Rabada International Career
Kagiso Rabada made his debut on 5th November 2014 for the Twenty20 International for South Africa against Australia. On the 10th of July 2015 Rabada made his One Day International debut for South Africa against Bangladesh and achieving best figures of 6/16.
Instagram embed
Instagram embed
In the 2016 Test match against England he took 13 wickets including 5 wicket hauls and returned his best innings bowling figures of 7/112 in the England first innings. Kagiso took 4/39 in the third ODI match of the South African tour in England in 2017 and during the first Test of India’s tour of South Africa in 2018 at Newlands, Rabada took 3/34 and in 2/41 in the first and second innings.
Instagram embed
Instagram embed
During the first Test against Sri Lanka in July 2018, Kagiso Rabada surpassed the record Harbhajaan Singh and took the most wickets in Tests by bowler, with 52 dismissals. He then took his 100th wicket in ODI’s in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in March 2019. In April 2019, he was named in South Africa’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
Kagiso Rabada Controversy
The 22 year old cricketing wonder was banned in 2018 in a series between South Africa and Australia. He was found guilty of deliberately making contact with the tourists’ captain Steve Smith.
Twitter embed
He apparently brushed shoulders with Smith after celebrating his dismissal during South Africa’s 6 wicket win in the second Test. It took Kagiso Rabada to eight demerit points in a 24-month period, resulting in a 2-Test ban, which was appealed by South Africa.
Kagiso Rabada Philanthropy
In May this year it was reported that the Inspire and Ignite Initiative was started by Kagiso Rabada under the umbrella of his foundation, is sponsoring 2 500 deserving youth under the age of 25 with sports equipment to advance their talent and skills.
“In celebrating 25 years of democracy, and his birthday falling on Africa Day, he said to me that he would like to sponsor 2 500 people with sporting equipment so that the material could help them reach their potential.” said Dr Mpho Rabada, Kagiso Rabada’s father
Kagiso is not only focusing on cricket, but wants to extend his services to youngsters that have a passion for the sport too.
