South Africa’s Pace Bowling Crisis Deepens as Lizaad Williams Replaces Kwena Maphaka

South Africa’s fast-bowling injury crisis has deepened on the eve of their three-match ODI series against Australia, with young pacer Kwena Maphaka ruled out after suffering a right hamstring strain.

Experienced fast bowler Lizaad Williams has been called up as Maphaka’s replacement, further highlighting South Africa’s growing concerns over their pace-bowling resources ahead of a busy home series.

Maphaka becomes the latest South African quick to suffer a hamstring injury, joining Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman and Lungi Ngidi on the sidelines.

Rabada was already unavailable when the original squad was selected, while Baartman and Ngidi were subsequently ruled out after the 16-member squad was announced. Duan Jansen replaced Baartman, while Nqobani Mokoena came into the squad for Ngidi.

The injuries have left South Africa with a relatively inexperienced pace attack for the ODI series. Their available options include allrounders Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch, alongside Gerald Coetzee, who has not played an ODI since November 2023.

Duan Jansen and Mokoena have only four ODI appearances between them, while Williams has featured in eight ODIs since making his international debut in 2021.

The situation is particularly concerning with South Africa also facing uncertainty over the fitness of Rabada and Ngidi ahead of the three-match Test series against Australia, which begins on October 9.

The ODI series will begin in Durban on September 24, followed by matches in Johannesburg on September 27 and Potchefstroom on September 30.

Australia will then play a two-day tour match against a South Africa XI on October 3 and 4 before the Test series gets underway in Durban. The second Test will be played in Gqeberha from October 18, with the third Test scheduled for Cape Town from October 27.

Updated South Africa ODI Squad

• Temba Bavuma (captain)

• Corbin Bosch
• Matthew Breetzke
• Gerald Coetzee
• Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper)
• Tony de Zorzi
• Bjorn Fortuin
• Duan Jansen
• Marco Jansen
• Nqobani Mokoena
• Keshav Maharaj
• Aiden Markram
• David Miller
• Ryan Rickelton (wicketkeeper)
• Tristan Stubbs
• Lizaad Williams

With several frontline fast bowlers unavailable, South Africa will enter the ODI series with a significantly reshaped bowling attack as they prepare to face Australia on home soil.