Cricket South Africa faces a significant setback as spinner Keshav Maharaj has been ruled out of the remaining ODIs against Pakistan due to a left adductor strain.
Maharaj sustained the injury during warm-ups ahead of the first ODI in Paarl on Tuesday and will not feature in the remaining matches of the series. The 34-year-old will return to Durban for rehabilitation and undergo a fitness reassessment before the first Test against Pakistan, scheduled to begin on Boxing Day.
In Keshav Maharaj’s absence, left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin has been called up to the Proteas squad. Fortuin, who last played an ODI against Ireland in October, has taken 13 wickets in 11 appearances.
Maharaj’s injury is a significant loss for the Proteas. He was initially set to play in the opening ODI but was replaced by Andile Phehlukwayo after his injury just before the toss.
Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad highlighted Maharaj’s importance to the team, saying:
“His performances have been superb in the last couple of months, and he’s a calming influence in the changeroom. He, Marco (Jansen), and (Kagiso Rabada) are the trio that will ensure we get the bulk of the 20 wickets we need to win a Test match.”
South Africa is already grappling with injuries to key players, including Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi, and Anrich Nortjé.
With Maharaj ruled out, South Africa faces a challenging task as they prepare for the second ODI against a confident Pakistan side today to keep the series alive.