South African cricket suffered a major setback when star Anrich Nortje was ruled out of the T20I series against Pakistan as well as the subsequent three-match ODI series.
The 31-year-old speedster missed the T20I opener after suffering an injury to his left big toe during training. Scans later confirmed a fracture, which sidelined him for the remainder of the series.
All-rounder Dayyaan Galiem has been named as his replacement.
The 27-year-old, who boasts an impressive T20 record of 46 wickets in 60 matches, was eager to make his mark on the international stage.
Nortje’s injury came at a crucial moment. The pacer has not represented South Africa since the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final in June, where he was the team’s standout bowler after taking 15 wickets.
He also recently opted not to sign a national contract to manage his workload, which has further increased pressure on the Proteas’ bowling resources.
South Africa’s injury problems extended beyond Nortje, with fast bowlers Gerald Coetzee (groin), Nandre Burger (lower back stress fracture) and Lungi Ngidi (hip) all sidelined. Furthermore, all-rounder Wiaan Mulder also fractured his finger during the first Test against Sri Lanka.
The hosts are scheduled to face Pakistan in the second T20I match at Centurion tomorrow after winning the series opener in Durban by 11 runs.
South Africa posted 183/9 in their allotted 20 overs while Pakistan were restricted to 172/8 in reply.
A win for the Proteas will end the series, while a win for Pakistan will tie it, with the third and final match scheduled for Johannesburg on December 14.
