Maphaka ruled out of SA's ODI series vs Australia, Williams called up
Synopsis
South Africa's pace-bowling crisis hit a new low on the eve of their ODI series opener against Australia, with Kwena Maphaka becoming the fourth frontline seamer ruled out through hamstring injury — joining Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Ottneil Baartman. The Proteas now face the reigning ODI World Cup holders with a makeshift attack, and the clock is ticking for their Test series preparations too.
Key Takeaways
Kwena Maphaka ruled out of the South Africa vs Australia ODI series with a right hamstring strain sustained in training.
Lizaad Williams , with 8 ODI caps since 2021, named as Maphaka's replacement by Cricket South Africa .
South Africa's injury list also includes Kagiso Rabada , Ottneil Baartman , and Lungi Ngidi — all sidelined by hamstring injuries.
The remaining pace unit of Duan Jansen and Nqobani Mokoena share just four ODI caps between them.
The three ODIs are scheduled for Durban , Johannesburg , and Potchefstroom on 24, 27, and 30 September .
The three-match Test series begins in Durban on 9 October , with Rabada and Ngidi racing to regain fitness.
Kwena Maphaka has been ruled out of South Africa's three-match ODI series against Australia after sustaining a right hamstring strain during training in Durban, further deepening the Proteas' fast-bowling injury crisis on the eve of the series opener on 24 September. Lizaad Williams, the experienced Boland pacer, has been drafted into the squad as an immediate replacement.
Growing Injury Crisis
Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed the setback in an official statement on Wednesday, noting that Maphaka would undergo assessments to determine the full extent of the injury. The 20-year-old pacer becomes the latest in a lengthening casualty list that already includes premier speedster Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, and Lungi Ngidi — all sidelined by hamstring injuries.
Notably, Baartman and Ngidi suffered their breakdowns only after the initial 16-member squad was announced, forcing CSA to first name Duan Jansen and uncapped bowler Nqobani Mokoena as replacements, and now Williams as a further addition. This is the most disrupted South Africa's pace unit has been ahead of a major series in recent memory.
An Inexperienced Pace Attack Faces Australia
The injury wave leaves South Africa with a severely depleted seam-bowling department against Australia, the reigning ODI World Cup holders. The pace unit now comprises all-rounders Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee — who last played an ODI in November 2023 — alongside Duan Jansen and Mokoena, who collectively hold just four ODI caps between them.
Williams, who made his international debut in 2021 and has featured in eight ODIs, brings the most established white-ball experience of the new additions. His inclusion is effectively a concession that South Africa's preferred options are unavailable.
Series Schedule and Venues
The three ODIs will be staged at Durban, Johannesburg, and Potchefstroom on 24 September, 27 September, and 30 September respectively. Following the white-ball leg, Australia will take part in a two-day tour match against a South Africa XI on 3 and 4 October, before the first of three Tests gets underway in Durban on 9 October.
Test Series Concerns Loom Large
The injury pile-up carries implications well beyond the ODIs. The upcoming three-match Test series — with matches in Durban (9 October), Gqeberha (18 October), and Cape Town (27 October) — now hangs in the balance as both Rabada and Ngidi race against time to prove their fitness. For South Africa, who must contend with Australia's formidable batting line-up across formats, the absence of their frontline pace attack represents a significant strategic disadvantage.
Updated South Africa Squad
Temba Bavuma (captain), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Duan Jansen, Marco Jansen, Nqobani Mokoena, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tristan Stubbs, and Lizaad Williams. How well this patched-up attack holds up against Australia will be a critical indicator of South Africa's depth ahead of the red-ball series.
Point of View
And this series has laid bare the cost. With Rabada and Ngidi now also doubtful for the Tests, the structural question is whether the Proteas have the depth and the governance to protect assets of that calibre. Australia, who arrive as defending ODI World Cup champions with a settled attack, could not have asked for a more favourable pre-series development.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Kwena Maphaka been ruled out of South Africa's ODI series against Australia?
Kwena Maphaka sustained a right hamstring strain during training in Durban ahead of the series opener and was ruled out by Cricket South Africa. He will undergo further assessments to determine the full extent of the injury.
Who has replaced Kwena Maphaka in South Africa's ODI squad?
Lizaad Williams, a Boland pacer with eight ODI caps since his 2026 debut, has been named as Maphaka's replacement and joined the squad immediately. He brings the most established ODI experience among the new additions to the injury-hit pace unit.
Which other South Africa fast bowlers are injured ahead of the Australia series?
Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, and Lungi Ngidi are also sidelined with hamstring injuries. Baartman and Ngidi were injured after the initial squad was announced, while Rabada was ruled out before squad selection.
When and where are the three South Africa vs Australia ODIs being played?
The three ODIs take place on 24 September in Durban, 27 September in Johannesburg, and 30 September in Potchefstroom. They form the white-ball leg of Australia's tour of South Africa.
How does the injury crisis affect the upcoming Test series?
Both Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi are racing against time to regain fitness for the three-match Test series, which begins in Durban on 9 October. The second Test is scheduled in Gqeberha from 18 October and the series concludes in Cape Town from 27 October.
