SA vs PAK 2024-25: Anrich Nortje ruled out of white-ball series with toe injury

Due to a left toe injury, star pacer Anrich Nortje will not be playing in the current three-match T20I series between South Africa and Pakistan. After suffering a contusion to his left big toe during training, he was unable to play in Tuesday’s T20I match against the Men in Green. On Wednesday, follow-up scans showed a fracture.

The 31-year-old will also miss the three-match ODI series against Mohammad Rizwan’s team, which begins next week following the third and final T20I in Johannesburg, according to confirmation from Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday.

To find out how long it will take to recuperate, Anrich Nortje will speak with an orthopaedic doctor.

He will be replaced for the final two Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) at SuperSport Park in Centurion on December 13 and the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on December 14 by 27-year-old all-rounder Dayyaan Galiem. In 60 Twenty20 matches, the uncapped player has produced 723 runs and 46 wickets. Galiem’s batting and ball averages are 22.59 and 26.08, respectively.

Nortje was supposed to wear the South African shirt for the first time since the 2024 T20 World Cup final against India, thus it is regrettable. After winning the opening game at Kingsmead in Durban by 11 runs, South Africa now leads the series 1-0.

South Africa announce 15-man squad for ODI series

On Thursday, South Africa announced a formidable 15-man lineup for the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan. Temba Bavuma will captain the team, which includes seasoned players like Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, and Aiden Markram. For the first time since the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinal loss to Australia, the latter has returned to the 50-over format.

The team’s sole player without a cap is Kwena Maphaka. He will try to learn from Rabada and collaborate with seam-bowling all-rounders Andile Phehlukwayo and Ottneil Baartman, who is also a pacer.