South Africa Pacers Out, Nortje Ruled Out Of Zimbabwe T20I Series

South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out indefinitely due to a recurring 'stress reaction' injury in his back, preventing him from participating in the upcoming T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe and Major League Cricket in the U.S. Nortje, who last played international cricket during the 2024 T20 World Cup, has a history of long injury layoffs and has only appeared twice this year in the Indian Premier League for Kolkata Knight Riders. South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad expressed concern over Nortje's repeated setbacks but emphasized the team's commitment to supporting his recovery, noting the uncertainty around the injury’s severity and recovery timeline. The absence of Nortje, along with other key players like Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, and Keshav Maharaj, has led to a reshaped South African squad led by Rassie van der Dussen, featuring several promising newcomers. Cricket South Africa is monitoring Nortje's condition closely, stressing that while the injury is serious, they are not ruling out his eventual return to the national side. Nortje's injury continues to pose a significant challenge for South African cricket as they prepare for upcoming international fixtures.