South Africa players raise fists before the first Test against Sri Lanka

South Africa's Cricket team has expressed its "ongoing commitment" to supporting the Black Lives Matter movement after their players raised their fists before the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Former South Africa president Nelson Mandela raised a clenched fist after his release from prison in 1990.

BBC News reports a team statement said the raised fist is a powerful gesture in their history.

Referring to Mandela's salute, the South Africa cricket team said it was "an acknowledgment of the struggle against apartheid" and represented a "commitment to continuing to fight for equality, justice and freedom".

South Africa was excluded from international cricket from 1970 until 1991 because of apartheid.

[Source: BBC]