South Africa Suffers Setback as Keshav Maharaj Ruled Out of ODI Series

In the current home series against Pakistan, South Africa's seasoned spinner Keshav Maharaj will not play in the final two ODIs. During the warm-up before the first ODI on December 17, Maharaj strained his left abductor, which prevented him from playing. He will miss the second and third ODIs, which are set for December 19 and 22, after further examinations confirmed the ailment.

Shortly before the toss, Maharaj was observed limping out of the site. He was consequently sent for scans, which showed that his left adductor was strained. Notably, at Boland Park in Paarl, the ODI series between South Africa and Pakistan began on December 17 after the Rainbow Nation lost to the visitors.

Keshav Maharaj's journey cut short:

For the remaining games, Maharaj will be replaced by Bjorn Fortuin. Maharaj was added to South Africa's Test squad for the forthcoming two-match series against Pakistan just one day prior to this loss. The Test series, which begins in Centurion on December 26, is crucial for South Africa because they want to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final the following year. With a PCT of 63.33, the Proteas are presently leading the WTC standings and need one more victory to secure a top-two finish.

Regarding the second ODI, Pakistan took a 1-0 series lead after chasing down the score with three balls remaining. Furthermore, winning the forthcoming game in Cape Town is essential. Experienced pacers Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi are also dealing with injury issues before the start of the series. For those who are unaware, Ngidi just suffered a hip ailment, while Nortje broke his toe.

In order to maintain their impressive form against Pakistan, South Africa will try to make up for Maharaj's absence in the ODIs. As they attempt to qualify for the WTC final, the upcoming Test series will put their depth and resiliency to the test even more.

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