Teenage left-arm fast bowler Kwena Maphaka has been ruled out of South Africa’s one-off Twenty20 international against Namibia in Windhoek on Saturday and their entire white ball tour to Pakistan after being sidelined with a hamstring strain.
The 19-year-old has been replaced in the squad to face Namibia and the T20 series against Pakistan by seamer Ottneil Baartman. Lizaad Williams is his replacement for the One Day Internationals on the subcontinent.
Maphaka was injured in a domestic four-day fixture last week and subsequent medical assessments indicated a Grade 1-2 injury which will require rehabilitation over the next four weeks.
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South Africa play three T20s in Pakistan between October 28-November 1, and three ODIs from November 4-8.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan team management decided against recalling Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for the upcoming T20 series against South Africa, reliable sources confirmed on Wednesday.
According to insiders, Salman Ali Agha will continue as the T20 captain, leading the side against the visiting Proteas. The decision reflects the management’s intent to provide continuity and test new combinations ahead of future tournaments.
Salman Ali Agha to lead, bat at No 3
Sources further revealed that Salman Agha is expected to make changes to the batting order during the T20 series. He himself will bat at number three, a position seen as pivotal for stabilizing the innings and accelerating during the middle overs.
Also Read: Pakistan vs South Africa: Major changes announced in national squad
The selectors and team management are reportedly satisfied with Agha’s leadership and performance during recent outings and view him as a strong candidate for long-term captaincy consideration in the T20 format.
Test series schedule announced
The first Test match between Pakistan and South Africa will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, starting October 12.
The second Test will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium beginning October 20. The series is expected to be a key part of Pakistan’s preparations for the upcoming World Test Championship cycle.
