Wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen to lead South Africa against Pakistan in T20 series
Problems for South Africa turned worse after the team lost their white-ball captain Temba Bavuma to an injury and will now be led by Heinrich Klaasen in the T20 series against Pakistan.
"Proteas white-ball captain, Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the upcoming four-match KFC T20 international series against Pakistan after suffering a Grade One hamstring strain," said Cricket South Africa in a series of tweets on Friday.
It announced that wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen will now lead South Africa in the series.
Apart from losing their captain, the Proteas have lost batsman Reeza Hendricks as the player has withdrawn from the series "after the very recent birth of he and his wife's first-born child".
To make matters worse South Africa will not have bowling all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius after he was not "medically cleared to take part in the series". The South African board said that the bowler is currently undergoing rehabilitation from a rib fracture.
On Rassie van der Dussen, who had been ruled out ahead of the third ODI, Cricket South Africa said that they will "continue treatment and monitoring of his Grade One left quadriceps muscle strain".
As replacements, the South African board said that they have retained Aiden Markram, Andile Phehlukwayo, Daryn Dupavillon and Wiaan Mulder from the ODI squad for the T20 series.
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In the middle of the recently concluded ODI series, South Africa lost Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje as the players chose to leave the national team to take part in IPL 2021.
The T20 series against Pakistan is scheduled to start on April 10 in Centurion. Pakistan has already won the ODI series of the tour.