Cassim Suliman, better known as Mr Cricket, has been elected to the 10 000 Points of Light Hall of Fame Honoured Membership, in the sports category, for his contribution to the game of cricket.
The Lakefield resident was inducted on May 23.
“I am humbled by this prestigious honour and believe that such a recognition will go a long way towards raising awareness of the historical and future role of this sport in uniting Africans as one indivisible community of human actors on the stage of life,” said Suliman.
“I accepted this award on behalf of all my colleagues who assisted me in driving the sport of cricket into Africa.”
The current CEO of the Africa Cricket Association (ACA), Suliman, has been heavily involved in cricket since his first taste of it while schooling at Orient Islamic School in Durban.
• June 1991 marked the end of the enforced racial separation in cricket and this resulted in the merger of the South African Cricket Union and the South African Cricket Board to form the United Cricket Board of South Africa. Mr Suliman was among the delegates on this noble cause.
• Later on, he became the chairperson of the Actonville Spurs Cricket Club and between 1991 to 1992, he became the first PRO for the Eastern Transvaal Cricket Association.
• At one time Suliman was the president/chairperson of the Easterns Cricket Union, as well as a board member of Cricket South Africa and during his time as president, he merged Easterns and Northerns to form a franchise called The Titans.
• He was the general manager and CEO of Easterns cricket in 2009 and 2012 respectively. After his resignation, he went on to become the CEO of ACA, an organisation representing 33 African national cricket associations.
Well-known personalities such as Frederick Koomson, a member of BOAF Media network and Subhash Modi, former international cricket umpire, came forward to give their congratulations to Suliman.
Koomson said, “It is exciting to have luminaries and icons of the sports fraternity being part of this noble initiative since it provokes, ignites and inspires active citizenship.”
Modi said, “Congratulations on your great honour’s for your unanimous induction to the Hall of Fame. Indeed a great honour for you and your family, Africa Cricket Association, South Africa and the ICC. Be blessed on your well-deserved honour.”
Mahomed Sibda, former president of Easterns Cricket Union and founding member of South African Cricket Board said: “Congratulations Cassim on your contribution to cricket over the past four decades.
“You carried over your passion for the game you played and loved and passed it on to others in the form of coaching and administration at a club, provincial, national and international levels. Your contribution has benefited many sportsmen all over the country.”
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