Former South African cri‎cket captain, Quinton de Kock, has issued a heartfelt statement, apologising to his team mates and all South Africans for withdrawing from the T20 World Cup match against the West Indies on Tuesday.

He withdrew because he felt his rights as a person were trampled on because of the way he was told to take the knee before the match. He added that there always seems to be drama when the team is at a World Cup and it’s not fair on the players.

But after a meeting with stakeholders, the air was cleared and he says he now understands the importance of standing up against racism and will take the knee in future.

De Kock who comes from a mixed race family has also declared himself available for the remainder of the World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.