Proteas wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta is widely heralded as one of the best cricketers in the world, but she is also a great advocate for overcoming addiction and the stigma surrounding the issue.
In late 2022, Jafta was voluntarily admitted to an alcohol rehabilitation facility in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Back then, the 27-year-old could have been forgiven for thinking her cricketing career may already be over.
Now Jafta is coming up to three years sober, and is one of the fixtures of the South African team.
Since her debut for South Africa in 2016, Jafta has made 95 appearances across all three formats, solidifying her place in the Proteas side.
One Day at a Time for Jafta
When asked how she turned her life around, Jafta revealed how she instead saw it as starting a new chapter in her life.
“I don’t see it as success. For me, it’s literally just the 24 hours that is very important to me. And I think when I went into treatment, that was the one thing that I wasn’t focused on. I was more focused on what I am doing outside of the game,” Jafta told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview.
“But then as soon as I got there, they literally said focus on 24 [hours] and how you see cricket and how you play cricket. You literally focus on that day because that’s the most important.”
As any Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) teachings will preach, it’s about living one day at a time. This is a philosophy that the 30-year-old sticks to religiously.
“If I think too far ahead, I don’t know whether relapse is coming tomorrow. But if I know that I’m sorting out what I’m meant to do today, I won’t relapse tomorrow. It’s more like a domino effect. And I think anyone that’s going through anything with addiction or with sobriety in general, it’s okay.”
“I think if someone told me that it was okay and [if I had] asked for help, I think that’s the biggest thing. There’s nothing to be ashamed of because your story is not done yet.”
“And I always think of life as chapters. It was just another chapter of my life. So now I’m looking forward to the rest.”
Jafta’s Mission to Break the Stigma around Addiction
While it’s always viewed with a sense of stigma if any sports person admits to a struggle with mental health and/or addiction, the most important thing for Jafta was the willingness to first admit there might be a problem.
“I always say I know a few people within cricket or football or whatever, where there is an element of struggling with addiction. And I think once you open yourself up as yourself, being sober, I kind of use it as a platform to say to someone: Hang on, you still have a chance.”
“And I think that’s what I’ve always tried to portray. Yes, you might have messed up somewhere, but that doesn’t mean that it’s the final story. I think if you put in the work, it will always multiply into something great.”
A changing public perception of mental health issues has certainly helped, Jafta explains.
“Yes, I think there’s a really conscious mindset [now] because sometimes you won’t understand why a player is going through such a ditch, but you don’t know where that player is.”
“And I think it’s that, I’m not saying level of grace, but I think one has to step back and be like: Where I’m sitting, I’ve also struggled with something.”
“And I think it’s just awareness from everyone around, whether it’s spectators, fans, coaches, players, and I think it’s always just being vulnerable enough to say: Hang on, I’m struggling here.”
“And I think it’s just be open because you’re helping the next person by you being open.”
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