Maphaka Ruled Out of Namibia T20I and Pakistan Tour

Ottneil Baartman steps in for T20Is, while Lizaad Williams joins the ODI squad for the Pakistan series following Kwena Maphaka`s hamstring injury.

October 9, 2025

South African fast bowler Kwena Maphaka will miss the one-off T20I against Namibia and the upcoming white-ball tour of Pakistan due to a hamstring injury.

Ottneil Baartman has been called up as his replacement for the T20I against Namibia on October 11, and will also join the T20I squad for the three-match series against Pakistan. Lizaad Williams, already in the T20I setup, has been added to the ODI squad for the Pakistan tour.

The injury concerns for Maphaka first arose during a domestic four-day match last week at Newlands, where he was playing for the Lions against Western Province. He experienced hamstring discomfort after bowling 5.5 overs in the first innings and left the field for scans. While initial scans showed no significant damage, allowing him to return and take the new ball in the second innings (where he claimed 3 for 26 in ten overs, contributing to the Lions` innings-and-134-run victory), further assessments revealed a more serious issue.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) subsequently confirmed that medical evaluations pinpointed a grade 1-2 hamstring injury, necessitating a four-week rehabilitation period for the bowler.

South Africa`s extensive tour of Pakistan commences with two Test matches starting October 12, followed by three T20Is from October 28, and concludes with three ODIs wrapping up on November 8.