Cape Town, Dec 19
South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj has been ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series against Pakistan due to a left adductor strain.
Maharaj suffered the injury during warm-ups ahead of the first ODI in Paarl on Tuesday. He was replaced by pace-bowling all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo in South Africa's XI.
Maharaj will return home to Durban for rehabilitation while Bjorn Fortuin has been named as his replacement for the remaining two ODIs against Pakistan, scheduled to be played on Thursday and Sunday in Cape Town and Johannesburg, respectively.
"Keshav Maharaj has been ruled out for the remainder of the ODI series against Pakistan after scans revealed a left adductor strain. He will return home to Durban for rehabilitation and will be reassessed ahead of the first Test against Pakistan," Cricket South Africa said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
"Bjorn Fortuin has been named as his replacement for the final two ODIs," it added.
Maharaj's injury adds to South Africa's growing list of unavailable bowlers. The hosts are already missing Anrich Nortje (fractured toe), Gerald Coetzee (groin), Lungi Ngidi (hip), Nandre Burger (lower back), and Wiaan Mulder (broken finger). Recently, Maharaj played a pivotal role in South Africa's final-day victory against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha, taking 5 for 76 to spark a batting collapse.