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The rise and rise of South Africa's prospect, Lungi Ngidi

Lungi Ngidi celebrates taking the wicket of India's Hardik Pandya this week. / REUTERS
Lungi Ngidi celebrates taking the wicket of India's Hardik Pandya this week. / REUTERS

SA's most promising prospect Lungi Ngidi was schooled at KwaZulu-Natal's Hilton College and was involved at every provincial age-group level from Under-13 upwards.

He played for KZN Under-19s at the Khaya Majola week in 2014, where he was spotted by Northerns. They facilitated his move to University of Pretoria, where he honed his skills.

Ngidi, 21, was identified as a T20 prospect early on when he finished as the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the Africa Cup, a provincial T20 tournament that serves as a curtain raiser to the season, in September 2015.

His six wickets came at an average of 12.50 and helped Northerns win the title.

He was named Africa T20 Cup Player of the Year and was also promoted to the franchise team, Titans, for part of their T20 campaign.

Early this month, Ngidi was picked for SA's T20 squad to face Sri Lanka and was named Man of the Match on debut. Then a maiden Test cap arrived against India in Centurion, and, yet again, what a debut.

Ngidi's second-innings six-for helped South Africa knock India over for 151 and wrap up the series this week. Once again, he was named Man of the Match on debut. - espncricinfo.com

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