The disgraced former Proteas captain died at the age of 32 when the cargo plane he was a passenger in crashed in the Outeniqua Mountains, outside George in the Western Cape.
FILE: Former SA cricketer Hansie Cronje. Picture: Hansie Cronje Facebook fan page.
JOHANNESBURG – Wednesday marks the 20th anniversary of the death of one of South Africa’s most famed post-apartheid sporting icons, Hansie Cronje.
The disgraced former Proteas captain died at the age of 32 when the cargo plane he was a passenger in crashed in the Outeniqua mountains, outside George in the Western Cape.
The global cricket fraternity reeled in shock upon hearing the news of his passing on 1 June 2002.
Cronje was a divisive figure whose career was unlike any other South African sports star. While he was a competent cricketer, he excelled in leadership and rose to prominence when he was appointed as the Proteas captain in 1994.
Cronje had a personal relationship with former President Nelson Mandela and was adored and admired across the racial spectrum.
Cronje fell from grace in April 2000 amid a match-fixing scandal when he confessed to accepting money from bookmakers in India. He also admitted influencing teammates to underperform in exchange for money.
He stepped down from his role as captain and was later banned for life from the game.
While his legacy at home may produce varied reaction, his transgressions were a catalyst for the ICC clamping down on corruption in the game.
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