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December 17, 2024

South Africa’s Champions Trophy Dreams Marred By Injuries?

South Africa’s Champions Trophy Dreams Marred By Injuries?

With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 just two months away, all teams are looking to find the best possible combination for their 50-over format squad. 

The PAK vs SA ODI series will be both teams’ last ODI bilateral series before the commencement of the mega Champions Trophy 2025. 

These will be the last ODIs that the South Africans will be able to play with their full-strength squad before they step onto the stage of Champions Trophy. 

Moreover, the Proteas could include several of the players they aim to depend on to reach and win the World Test Championship final in June. 

But, the South African team has encountered a hurdle that they wouldn’t have anticipated a few months into the past. 

Five of South Africa’s pacers including Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee, Wiaan Mulder, Anrich Nortje, Nandre Burger, and Lizaad Williams are suffering from unanticipated injuries. 

With 6 pacers down with an injury, the Proteas can’t afford another mishap. 

Pakistan lost the T20I series 2-0 but will be more confident in the 50-over white ball format as they succeeded in winning their last two ODI series against Australia and Zimbabwe. 

Strengthening the Pakistan squad further will be Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah, all of whom were rested during the PAK vs ZIM series.

Additionally during the series, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, and Babar Azam were the leading run-scorers and Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah were the leading wicket-takers from both teams. 

The presence of the aforementioned players in the PAK vs SA ODI squad is meant to mean something as the conditions in South Africa are quite similar to Australia. 

Although South Africa won the T20I series in a clean sweep, those games were alive with possibility and unpredictability. ODIs are not cut from quite the same cloth.