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South Africa's cricket team has been hit with a significant setback ahead of the ODI Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2023 in India. On Thursday, September 21, it was announced that their leading fast bowler, Anrich Nortje, will not be participating in the tournament.
Nortje's persistent lower-back issues have prevented him from achieving full fitness. This comes after he was absent from the home ODIs against Australia, a series which the Proteas clinched 3-2, despite an initial 0-2 trail. To add to their woes, Sisanda Magala is also sidelined due to a knee injury.
This isn't the first time Nortje has been absent from the World Cup due to health concerns. He missed the 2019 ODI World Cup, and his absence was keenly felt. Given his experience, especially his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Nortje's presence would have been invaluable for South Africa in the subcontinent conditions. Andile Phehlukwayo and Lizaad Williams have been called up as replacements for Nortje and Magala.
The 29-year-old Nortje has been instrumental for the Proteas across various formats. His raw pace, ability to extract bounce, and knack for delivering crucial breakthroughs at pivotal moments will undoubtedly be missed by skipper Temba Bavuma and his team. It's worth noting that during the 2019 World Cup, Chris Morris had stepped in for the injured Nortje.
Teams have until September 28 to make any final adjustments to their World Cup squads. South Africa is set to kick off their CWC 2023 campaign on October 07, facing off against the 1996 champions, Sri Lanka, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
South Africa’s squad for the ODI World Cup 2023:
Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton De kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Henrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams
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