ICC T20 World Cup | Twitter in awe as South Africa begin campaign with clinical win over Canada
South Africa beat Canada by 57 runs in their Group D opener in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad on Monday. Skipper Aiden Markram led from the front with a blistering half-century to power the Proteas to 213/4 before Lungi Ngidi shone with the ball with a four-wicket haul to restrict Canada.
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International career
Lungisani True-man Ngidi was born on 29 March 1996. He plays for the South African national cricket team. Early in his career, he gained attention and won awards. In 2018, he was named one of the five Cricketers of the Year at the South African Cricket Annual Awards. Two years later, in July 2020, he was recognized as both the ODI and T20I Cricketer of the Year by Cricket South Africa. Ngidi also helped South Africa win the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final, which was the country’s second ICC title.
In July 2020, Ngidi spoke about the Black Lives Matter movement and asked the national team to talk about it. He wanted the team to support the movement and spoke about racism in cricket. Ngidi said he was ready to lead the team’s efforts and noted it was hard to discuss these issues while the team was apart. Some former players, like Rudi Steyn, Pat Symcox, and Boeta Dippenaar, disagreed with him. However, more than 30 former players of color and five coaches supported Ngidi and the movement. They also urged Cricket South Africa to take a clear stand against racism.
2017
- January: Included in South Africa's T20I squad for the series against Sri Lanka.
- January 20: Made T20I debut vs Sri Lanka at Centurion and was named man of the match.
- Early 2017: Named in the ODI squad against Sri Lanka but missed the series due to abdominal injury.
2018
- January: Added to South Africa’s Test squad for the second Test against India.
- January 13-17: Made Test debut vs India at Centurion, took seven wickets for 87 runs.
- February 7: Made ODI debut vs India at Cape Town.
- March: Awarded a national contract by Cricket South Africa for the 2018–19 season.
2019
- April: Selected for South Africa’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
2020
- March 4: Took first five-wicket haul in ODI cricket during the second ODI vs Australia.
- March 4: Became the fastest South African bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets, doing so in his 26th game.
- July: Named both ODI and T20I Cricketer of the Year at Cricket South Africa annual awards.
2021
- September: Included in South Africa’s squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
2022
- July: Took first five-wicket haul in T20I cricket during series against England.
2024
- May: Named as a reserve player for South Africa’s squad at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
2025
- January 13-17: Played the last Test match vs Australia at Lord’s.
- March 5: Played the previous ODI vs New Zealand at Lahore.
- August 10: Played the previous T20I vs Australia at Darwin.
- Participated in the Champions Trophy tournament, taking six wickets in three games; South Africa did not reach the semifinals.
- Member of the South Africa team that won the ICC World Test Championship final.
Leagues Participation
Lungi Ngidi has played in several major T20 leagues around the world. His performances have made him a sought-after player in franchise cricket. Below is a summary of his involvement in key leagues.
Indian Premier League (IPL)
Ngidi joined the IPL in 2018 when the Chennai Super Kings bought him at the auction. He quickly gained attention, with the ICC naming him as a player to watch ahead of the 2019 tournament. In 2022, the Delhi Capitals signed him. By 2025, Ngidi played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, taking 25 wickets in 14 games with a strong average and strike rate.
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Year
|
Team
|
Notes
|
|
2018
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Chennai Super Kings
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Bought in an auction, IPL debut season
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2019
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Chennai Super Kings
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Named one of eight players to watch by the ICC
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2022
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Delhi Capitals
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Bought at an auction
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2025
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Royal Challengers Bangalore
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Took 25 wickets in 14 games; bought at INR 1 crore
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Mzansi Super League
Ngidi played in South Africa’s Mzansi Super League, representing Tshwane Spartans. He was part of the squad for the league’s first edition and also in 2019.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
|
|
2018
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Tshwane Spartans
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Named in the squad for the first edition
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2019
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Tshwane Spartans
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Played in the tournament
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Major League Cricket (MLC)
Ngidi signed with the San Francisco Unicorns for the inaugural Major League Cricket season in 2023. This league marks his entry into the growing cricket market in the USA.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2023
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San Francisco Unicorns
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Signed for the inaugural season
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SA20
Ngidi has been an essential player for Paarl Royals in the SA20 tournament. By October 2024, he had taken 24 wickets in 19 matches across two seasons. Paarl Royals retained him for the 2025 season.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2023
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Paarl Royals
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Played in the first SA20 season
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2024
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Paarl Royals
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Took 24 wickets in 19 matches in two seasons
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2025
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Paarl Royals
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Retained for the new SA20 season
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Domestic career
Lungi Ngidi started playing domestic cricket with the Northerns team, debuting in first-class matches in January 2016. He stood out in shorter formats and was named Africa T20 Cup player of the year in 2016. Ngidi was chosen for Benoni Zalmi in the T20 Global League in 2017, but the league was postponed and then cancelled. He played in the Mzansi Super League with Tshwane Spartans from 2018 and continued to earn places in domestic squads, including Northerns for the 2021–22 season. Alongside his home matches, Ngidi took part in international franchise leagues, joining Chennai Super Kings in 2018 and Delhi Capitals in 2022, and later signing with the San Francisco Unicorns for Major League Cricket in 2023.
Records and achievements
Lungi Ngidi has reached many significant milestones as a bowler. His skills earned him awards and records in various game formats.
- In 2016, Cricket South Africa named him Africa T20 Player of the Year.
- January 2017 saw Ngidi earn Man of the Match in his T20 International debut against Sri Lanka.
- During his Test debut against India in January 2018, he again won Man of the Match after taking seven wickets.
- Ngidi was nominated for the Streetwise Award in the 2019/20 Cricket South Africa season.
- On March 4, 2020, he took his first five-wicket haul in an ODI against Australia and became the fastest South African bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets, achieving it in 26 matches.
- In July 2022, Ngidi took his first five-wicket haul in a T20 International during a series against England.
- By July 2025, he broke Dale Steyn’s record for most T20I wickets by a South African, reaching 64 wickets in 44 matches compared to Steyn’s 64 in 47 games.
Personal life
Lungi Ngidi grew up in Durban, South Africa, and has worked hard to reach his place in international cricket. His family supported him despite financial challenges, and he focused on cricket from an early age. Outside the game, Ngidi leads a life shaped by his roots and growing success.
Family
Ngidi was raised in Kloof, Durban, in a middle-class family. His mother worked as a domestic worker, and his father was a maintenance worker at a local school. He has three older brothers. Ngidi received scholarships to attend Highbury Preparatory School and later Hilton College, where he played rugby before focusing on cricket. He studied Industrial Sociology at the University of Pretoria.
Finance
Ngidi’s estimated fortune in 2025 is between 4 and 5 million US dollars. His income comes from a central contract with Cricket South Africa worth $350,000, payments for international matches ($4,500 per Test, $1,200 per ODI, and $800 per T20I), and his salary from the Indian Premier League.
House and Cars
Ngidi owns a home in one of South Africa’s most prestigious areas. The house includes spacious rooms, a living and dining area, a swimming pool, an entertainment space, a study, and a private gym.
Scandals
In 2020, some former South African cricketers criticized Ngidi for supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Critics like Pat Symcox and Boeta Dippenaar said Ngidi should also speak out against attacks on white farmers. Ngidi responded by saying racism is a serious issue that must be fought everywhere.
Fans
Ngidi has a strong fan base on social media, with around 285,000 followers on Instagram.
