Maharaj withdrawn from T20I squad; Fortuin called up as replacement

South Africa's left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has been ruled out of their T20I series against England after tweaking his groin in the warm-up of the first match in Cardiff.

Maharaj, the No.1-ranked ODI bowler in the world, had been named player of the series in their 2-1 series win in the 50-over leg of the tour. However, he has now been withdrawn from their squad for the remaining two fixtures, at Old Trafford and Trent Bridge. Bjorn Fortuin, the left-arm spinner who had been preparing to play for Hampshire in the Vitality Blast Finals Day on Saturday, has been called up in his place.

After the Cardiff match, which South Africa won on by 14 runs on DLS, captain Aiden Markam confirmed Maharaj had been 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 on Wednesday, Lungi Ngidi was ruled out of the series with a right hamstring strain. Ngidi returned 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On Tuesday, David Miller was also withdrawn from the squad after sustaining a hamstring strain during the final week of the Hundred.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.