South African cricketer, Wayne Parnell, who plays for Worcestershire in English country cricket, has an interesting journey to Islam! A very talented cricketer but plagued with injury meant that he had to give up international cricket with South Africa. However, he signed a three-year deal with Worcestershire after the 2018 English season. 

He made the decision to accept Islam after a period of personal study and reflection in 2011. He was never influenced by his Muslim teammates or his Muslim manager. In the beginning of his career, he developed a party lifestyle but he was soon impressed with fellow player Hashim Amla’s discipline to his religion. 

He married in 2016 and they now have a baby son called Khalid after he was influenced by the story of Khalid ibn Al-Walid.