Ashwell Prince's wife, Melissa was undergoing chemotherapy.
Ashwell Gavin Prince, who played in all formats of cricket for South Africa, was married to Melissa Kistensamy for 18 years until her tragic passing on December 29, 2024.
Born May 28, 1977, Prince began his career with Eastern Province in the 1995/96 South African cricket season, later representing teams such as Western Province, Cape Cobras, and Warriors in domestic competitions.
He was also the first non-white player to captain the South African cricket team when he stood in for the injured Graeme Smith in two test matches.
In mid-2021, Prince took on the role of batting consultant with the Bangladesh cricket team but resigned in early 2022.
He was recently a guest commentator with ABC Grandstand in the Australia-South Africa Test series in Australia.
The couple had been married since 2006!
The couple, Ashwell Prince and Melissa Kistensamy, tied the knot on May 27, 2006, the same year Ashwell captained the South African Test team against Sri Lanka.
While specific details about Melissa’s illness have not been provided, she was undergoing chemotherapy treatments, as her Instagram bio reads, chemo survivor.
The Prince family has received heartfelt sympathy from many. The loss is deeply mourned by the South African sporting community and friends around the world.
Condolences are being extended to Ashwell, their sons Joshua, Daniel, and Zackary, and their extended families during this difficult time.
On Women’s Day, Ashwell wrote for his wife on Instagram,
Beautiful, Brave, Courages, Smart, Intelligent, Selfless etc etc etc. The list of adjectives are endless. My wife, my Best Friend, their Mother, our Rock our Fortress. Happy Women’s Day @mrs_mprince The boys and dada love you very much and we pray that our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ will get you through this season!!!
Melissa said she is blessed with a great man and a great father, and Ashwell is her one and only, always and forever.
Melissa loved posting her sons and husband on Instagram
Regarding her social media, Melissa was very active on Instagram. She often shared glimpses of her personal life, especially her precious moments with Ashwell and their children.
From the simple joys of their kids sleeping, eating, and playing to capturing special celebrations like birthday surprises and the first day at school, her posts painted a vivid picture of her family’s life.
Her eldest, Joshua, was born on February 5, 2008, and is passionate about football and cricket.
Similarly, Daniel, their second son, shares his love for these sports. Zackary, the youngest, rounds out the family with his unique charm.
Melissa often shared heartfelt captions for her sons, reflecting her deep love and pride for them.
She wrote,
Proud of their achievements, academics and on field.. Blessed! May they continue be be grounded on focus on our Almighty!
Her posts celebrated her children’s personalities and passions, especially their shared love for football and cricket.
In case you did not know
In 2002, Prince made his Test and One Day International (ODI) debuts for South Africa.
He also played in England, first with Nottinghamshire and later with Lancashire.
Prince announced his retirement from professional cricket at the end of 2014, but he continued for another season before retiring again in September 2015.
Ashwell Prince has represented Eastern Province in athletics during apartheid under the non-racial banner.
Rasu Rajbanshi, a BBA gradaute works as a freelance content writer and tries to bring ideas to life through words, by creating compelling narratives that resonate with readers.
