KFC Mini Cricket changed the life of Proteas all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo and he is excited to encourage children through KFC’s Meet the Proteas on Tour initiative.

After beating Zimbabwe at Potchefstroom’s Senwes Park, Phehlukwayo and a group of other Proteas players had the opportunity to meet some of the KFC kids staying at the same hotel as the Proteas. The children had won a competition to meet and mix with the Proteas on tour.

‘It is such a nice initiative to get kids that age meeting their heroes,’ said Phehlukwayo, who recalled how he had played KFC Mini Cricket as a youngster.

‘What a wonderful thing if I can contribute to a kid’s upgrowing in terms of meeting a future leader and a person they could look up to,’ said Phehlukwayo.

‘The KFC Mini Cricket programme is actually one of the most wonderful things, I think. Growing up, I remember the memories I used to have travelling around and going to different schools and playing Mini Bakers and KFC Mini Cricket. It’s just something I remember and will forever cherish because I know that’s where it all started.

‘You take all of those things in and remind yourself that that’s the reason why you’re playing the sport, and the passion and love you have for the game was all created from mini cricket,’ he added.

Phehlukwayo also had some advice to offer young kids starting out in cricket.

‘They should just keep their head down and enjoy the game as long as possible. Keep to their academics – I think academics is really important growing up. Never put too much pressure on yourself in terms of any sport you do. Try to enjoy it as much as you can, have fun and make new friends and always try become a better person.

‘What inspired me growing up was that I played a lot of sport and I was relatively good at sport but I fell in love with cricket and the diversity of the game. It used to bring us together as a team. It brought me friends I still have today. As a kid, sport allows you to create relationships with people that you don’t know and allows you to learn cultures and religions.

‘Cricket grows you as a person … there are fundamentals within cricket that allow you to learn things about yourself that you wouldn’t know if you were in any other background and I think that’s the special thing about cricket,’ concluded Phehlukwayo.

Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix