Cricket South Africa clarified that removing Teeger as captain was done "in the best interests of all the players, the SA U-19 team, and David himself."
David Teeger has had his captaincy revoked for the South Africa Under-19 cricket team, just a week prior to the World Cup, citing concerns for his safety due to his supportive remarks about Israeli soldiers amid the ongoing conflict with Palestine. Cricket South Africa preemptively made this decision, fearing potential protests during the tournament that could escalate into conflicts or violence among opposing groups of demonstrators.
In an official statement, Cricket South Africa clarified that removing Teeger as captain was done “in the best interests of all the players, the SA U-19 team, and David himself.” Despite the change in leadership, Teeger will continue as a player, and the announcement of a new captain is expected “in due course.” The upcoming tournament, commencing on January 19, is anticipated to witness protests at various venues, including Potchefstroom, Benoni, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, and East London. The decision to alter Teeger’s captaincy was motivated by concerns specifically related to potential protests targeting him.
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Teeger’s contentious remarks sparked criticism during the ABSA Jewish Achiever Awards ceremony on October 22, 2023, where he dedicated an award to Israeli soldiers. Despite an independent adjudication concluding that Teeger had not breached any conduct, the Palestinian Solidarity Alliance (PSA) expressed dissatisfaction and called for his suspension from the U-19 World Cup squad.
The PSA intends to stage protests during the tournament, underscoring the heightened pro-Palestinian sentiment in South Africa following the country’s recent legal actions against Israel in the International Court of Justice.
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U19 World Cup details:
Group A and Group B action begins on the 19 January opening day, with Ireland meeting the USA in Bloemfontein, and the hosts meeting the West Indies in Potchefstroom.
Group D’s opening match (Afghanistan v Pakistan) will be played out on 20 January in East London, while Group C, based in Kimberley, begins on 21 January. Sri Lanka meet Zimbabwe to open group action.
Attention then turns to the Super Six stage from 30 January, with the top three teams from Groups A and D put together with the top three of Groups B and D. The teams play two matches in this phase, and avoid the team that finished in the corresponding position in the other group. For example, the top finishers in Group A play the second and third teams in Group D.
Semi-finals begin on 6 February, with the final on 11 February. Both the semi-finals and the final will be held at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
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