Former Proteas seamer Sisanda Magala says he is delighted to be part of the Knights setup in Bloemfontein after being sidelined for nearly two years due to persistent injuries.
Magala made his official Knights debut on Friday during their emphatic 93-run victory over the Northern Cape Heat in Kimberley. On debut, he impressed with two wickets, helping the Knights get their CSA T20 Knockout campaign off to a flying start.
The 34-year-old, who was named man of the match for the Proteas against England at the Mangaung Oval in 2023, endured a challenging period after losing his contract with the Lions. He later joined the Titans but, due to injury, failed to get any game time with the Sky Blues before eventually finding his way to Bloemfontein.
Known for his ability to take key wickets at crucial moments, Magala admitted to Bloemfontein Courant that he was understandably nervous ahead of his Knights debut but focused on keeping things simple.
“It was more about being selected, and then leading up to the game – I was very nervous,” he said with a smile.
“Even my friend Gihahn Cloete told me, ‘Okay, I know you’re nervous, but just breathe.’
“The most important thing for me was just to bowl straight – I didn’t want to send down a no-ball or a big full toss at someone’s head. Getting that first wicket for the Knights was really nice. It felt like, okay, I’m on the board.
“There’s still a bit of a niggle in my hip with the sciatic nerve that’s been troubling me for a while, but we’ve been managing it well.”
Magala has represented South Africa in eight One-Day Internationals and eight T20 Internationals, while also turning out for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20. – MORGAN PIEK
