Which South African cricket stars have the biggest social media following?

Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen have dazzled with the bat so far, while Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi have played starring roles with the ball in hand, helping the Proteas to a devastating demolition of defending champions England last week.

But who leads the way when it comes to their social platforms? 

Here, SABC Sport ranks the Proteas cricket stars from smallest to largest followings for seven players with a decent presence on Instagram. 

7. Keshav Maharaj (@keshavmaharaj16) - 135k followers

Maharaj, 33, made a highly-anticipated comeback at the 2023 Cricket World Cup, following a ruptured Achilles earlier in the year.

The left-arm spin bowler has proved a revelation on return, picking up 15 wickets since his return to the Proteas set-up in September.

His Instagram page, with 135k followers, showcases his exciting career, with posts ranging from cricket updates to life milestones. 

6. Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) - 142k followers

Spin bowler Shamsi is a fierce player in the world of cricket, and he is known for his iconic celebrations after dismissing batsmen.

The 33-year-old was crowned Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year in 2021, alongside ODI Cricketer of the Year batter Rassie van der Dussen.

He maintains a consistent social media presence through his Instagram page with 142k followers, where you can find the athlete showcasing his talents. 

On X, he boasts a 78.5k following under the username @shamsi90, where he displays his expressive personality. 

5. Anrich Nortje (@anrich_nortje): 189k followers

Next on the list is bowler Nortje with 189k Instagram followers. The 29-year-old made his debut for the South African team in 2019, and was subsequently crowned Newcomer of the Year at Cricket South Africa's annual awards ceremony.

While Nortje was initially announced as part of the Proteas' 15-man squad, he was later omitted from the Cricket World Cup due to injuries. 

He displays wholesome lifestyle content and cricket updates to his Instagram followers regularly, and you can find him on X with the username @AnrichNortje02. 

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4. Aiden Markram (@aidenmarkram) - 350k followers

The powerful batsman has a stellar career under his belt - he is the first Proteas captain to win a World Cup at the maiden ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2014, and was crowned the 2021 T20I Player of the Year in Cricket South Africa's awards.

The 29-year-old scored an impressive half-century (60 off 69 balls) during Tuesday’s win over Bangladesh, and is captain of the Proteas' T20I team.

Markram's Instagram page boasts 350k followers, where you can find action-filled updates on his cricketing career. 

3. Kagiso Rabada (@rabada_25) - 473k followers

The experienced Rabada spearheads the Proteas' exhilarating bowling attack. 

The 28-year-old made his international debut with South Africa during the 2014 T20I match against Australia.

He holds the record for the highest wickets taken in an ODI innings - six against Bangladesh during a 2015 showdown, where he finished with incredible figures of 6/16.

You can find consistent updates on Rabada's interesting career and lifestyle on his Instagram page, which is host to 473k followers, and on X under the username @KagisoRabada25 with 174.4k followers. 

2. Quinton de Kock (@qdk_12) - 574k followers

The former Proteas captain has become known as one of the most formidable batsmen in SA history. 

By the age of 21, de Kock had shared the record for the most successive ODI centuries (3) and has continued his form into the 2023 Cricket World Cup, where he is the leading run scorer at the time of writing. 

De Kock’s recent announcement to retire from ODI cricket following the conclusion of the World Cup, however, was a definite shock to fans.

The 30-year-old made his international debut during the 2012/2013 T20I series against New Zealand. The wicketkeeper was also crowned South Africa's most successful batter in the 2016 T20 World Cup, following his first hundred against England during the tournament. 

You can stay updated on his exciting career via his Instagram page, host to 574k followers, where de Kock posts regular updates. 

On X, you can find him under the username @QuinnyDeKock69 with 219.9k followers. 

1. David Miller (@davidmiller12) - 1.5million followers

At first place with the most number of followers is batsman Dave Miller with a huge Instagram following. His Insta page is an aesthetic portrayal of his passion for photography displayed alongside regular updates on his career and lifestyle.

The 34-year-old has achieved many noteworthy records during his career such as winning three Player-of-the-Series awards. Miller made his international debut for the Proteas in 2010 and has since become one of the most reliable batsmen on the team.

His activity on Instagram and X is just as lively, where you can find him with the username @DavidMillerSA12 with an account of 1.2million followers.

READ MORE: How can I watch the Proteas v Pakistan at the 2023 Cricket World Cup?

By Shameeka Voyiya