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Maharaj, Ngidi add to South Africa's injury concerns

The left-arm spinner had been due to return to the T20I side in Cardiff before the last-minute injury

Firdose Moonda
Firdose Moonda
11-Sep-2025 • 2 hrs ago
Keshav Maharaj scuttled England with a four-wicket haul, England vs South Africa, 1st ODI, Headingley, September 2, 2025

Keshav Maharaj had been set to return to the T20I side  •  Getty Images

South Africa suffered a third injury concern on their England tour after left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj tweaked his groin in the warm-up of the first T20I in Cardiff.
After the match, which South Africa won on by 14 runs on DLS, captain Aiden Markam confirmed Maharaj was due to play the game but was forced out with the injury and replaced by Corbin Bosch. Maharaj had been recalled to the T20I squad after being left out in Australia and Zimbabwe.
Earlier in the day, Lungi Ngidi was ruled out of the series with a right hamstring strain. Ngidi will return home on Thursday and faces a race against time to be fit for South Africa's next assignment - the start of their World Test Championship (WTC) title defence in Pakistan which begins on October 12.
Left-arm quick Nandre Burger has been added to the squad in Ngidi's place and is available from the second match at Old Trafford on Friday.
On Tuesday, David Miller was also withdrawn from the squad after sustaining a hamstring strain during the final week of the Hundred. No replacement has been named for him in the squad.
In better news, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Lizaad Williams all returned to action in the rain-affected affair. Rabada did not play the ODIs in Australia or England after suffering ankle inflammation but bowled the opening over in Cardiff.
Jansen made his comeback from the thumb surgery he underwent after the WTC final in June and Williams returned from knee surgery, which has kept him out of action for most of the year. Jansen bowled two overs in the match but Williams was not used at all.

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's correspondent for South Africa and women's cricket

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