South Africa suffer injury blows ahead of limited-overs tour of Pakistan

South Africa suffer injury blows ahead of limited-overs tour of Pakistan (Photo- AFP)

South Africa’s stand-in Twenty20 captain David Miller and fast bowler Gerald Coetzee have been ruled out of the limited-overs tour of Pakistan, Cricket South Africa said on Thursday.

Miller was due to lead the T20 side in the three-match series, which starts on Tuesday, but strained a hamstring in training and is out of the tour.

Coetzee will miss the T20 series and three one-day internationals that follow in because of a pectoral muscle injury, sustained while bowling during the one-off T20 international against Namibia in Windhoek this month. 

Matthew Breetzke and uncapped Tony de Zorzi have been added to the T20 squad, while Donovan Ferreira will captain the side. Ottneil Baartman has been named as Coetzee’s replacement in the ODI squad. 

The squads are without players being rested after the two-test series against Pakistan, including usual T20 skipper Aiden Markram, batsman Tristan Stubbs and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada. ODI captain Temba Bavuma is also not touring as he works his way back to fitness after a calf injury to be fit for the two-test test series in India next month.

T20 squad: Donovan Ferreira (captain, Titans), Ottneil Baartman (Dolphins), Corbin Bosch (Titans), Matthew Breetzke (Warriors), Dewald Brevis (Titans), Nandre Burger (Western Province), Quinton de Kock (Lions), Tony de Zorzi (Western Province), Reeza Hendricks (Lions), George Linde (Western Province), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Nqaba Peter (Lions), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Titans), Andile Simelane (Dolphins), Lizaad Williams (Titans).

ODI squad: Breetzke, Baartman, Bosch, Brevis, Burger, De Kock, De Zorzi, Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin (Lions), Linde, Ngidi, Peter, Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile (Warriors), Williams.