Lungi Ngidi

Lungisani True-man Ngidi is a South African professional cricketer who plays for the South Africa national cricket team. In the 2018 South African Cricket Annual Awards, he was named as one of the five Cricketers of the Year. In July 2020, Ngidi was named both ODI and T20I cricketer of the year at Cricket South Africa’s annual awards ceremony.

Early life:

Ngidi was raised in Kloof, Durban and received a scholarship to attend Highbury Preparatory School.

While growing up, Ngidi’s mother was a domestic worker and his father was a maintenance worker at a local school. Ngidi received a scholarship to attend Hilton College School.

During his first three years at Hilton, Ngidi represented Hilton at rugby before he stopped to focus on cricket. While at Hilton, Ngidi was coached by the former Zimbabwe all – rounder Neil Johnson.

After graduating from Hilton, Ngidi enrolled in a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in Industrial Sociology at the University of Pretoria.

Domestic Career:

• Ngidi was included in the Northerns cricket team for the 2015 Africa T20 Cup.
• In July 2016 Cricket South Africa named him as the Africa T20 Cup player of the year.
• In October 2018, he was named in Tshwane Spartans’ squad for the first edition of the Mzansi Super League T20 tournament.
• In September 2019, Ngidi was named in the squad for the Tshwane Spartans team for the 2019 Mzansi Super League tournament.
• In April 2021, he was named in Northerns’ squad, ahead of the 2021 – 22 cricket season in South Africa.
• In May 2023, Major League Cricket (MLC) Team San Francisco Unicorns announced the signing of Ngidi for the inaugural season.

Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 Franchise Career:

• In January 2018, Ngidi was bought by the Chennai Super Kings in the 2018 IPL auction.
• In March 2019, he was named as one of eight players to watch by the International Cricket Council (ICC) ahead of the 2019 Indian Premier League tournament.
• In February 2022, Ngidi was bought by the Delhi Capitals in the auction for the 2022 Indian Premier League tournament.

International Career:

• In January 2017 Ngidi was included in South Africa’s Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their series against Sri Lanka.
• T20I debut: for South Africa against Sri Lanka on 20 January 2017 and was awarded man of the match
• In January 2018, Ngidi was added to South Africa’s Test squad ahead of the second Test against India.
• Test debut for South Africa against India on 13 January 2018
• He returned figures of 7/87 in the match, including 6/39 in the second innings, as South Africa won by 135 runs.
• Later the same month, he was named in South Africa’s One Day International (ODI) squad for their series against India.
• ODI debut against India on 7 February 2018
• In March 2018, Cricket South Africa awarded Ngidi a national contract, ahead of the 2018 – 19 season.
• In April 2019, he was named in South Africa’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
• On 4 March 2020, in the second ODI against Australia, Ngidi took his first five – wicket haul in ODI cricket. In the same match, he became the fastest bowler for South Africa, in terms of matches, to take 50 wickets in ODIs, doing so in his 26th game.
• In September 2021, Ngidi was named in South Africa’s squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
• In July 2022, in the first match of the series against England, Ngidi took his first five – wicket haul in T20I cricket.

Major Achievements:

• He returned figures of 7/87 in his debut Test match, including 6/39 in the second innings, as South Africa won by 135 runs.
• On 4 March 2020, in the second ODI against Australia, Ngidi took his first five – wicket haul in ODI cricket. In the same match, he became the fastest bowler for South Africa, in terms of matches, to take 50 wickets in ODIs, doing so in his 26th game.
• In July 2022, in the first match of the series against England, Ngidi took his first five – wicket haul in T20I cricket.