South Africa’s star pacer, Anrich Nortje, has been ruled out of the ongoing T20I and upcoming ODI series against Pakistan due to a toe injury. This setback comes as a blow to the Proteas, with Nortje initially set to make his return to international cricket during this series after an earlier injury absence.
The 31-year-old speedster sustained a contusion to his left big toe during training ahead of the opening T20I on December 10. While Anrich Nortje missed the first game, scans conducted the following day revealed a fracture, confirming his unavailability for the remainder of the white-ball contests. In his absence, South Africa still managed to secure an 11-run victory in the first T20I against Pakistan.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced that Nortje would consult a specialist orthopaedic surgeon to determine his recovery period.
Uncapped all-rounder Dayyaan Galiem has been named as Anrich Nortje’s replacement for the remaining two T20Is. The hosts are already without the services of Gerald Coetzee and Lungi Ngidi.
The second and third T20I matches are scheduled for December 13 and 14, with the ODI series running from December 17 to 22.
| Heinrich Klaasen (c) (wk) |
| Ottneil Baartman |
| Matthew Breetzke |
| Donovan Ferreira |
| Dayyaan Galiem |
| Reeza Hendricks |
| Patrick Kruger |
| George Linde |
| David Miller |
| Kwena Maphaka |
| Nqaba Peter |
| Ryan Rickelton (wk) |
| Tabraiz Shamsi |
| Andile Simelane |
| Rassie van der Dussen |
The Proteas will be aiming to build on their winning momentum despite the absence of their star bowler.