South African cricket team have been handed a major injury scare as key pacer Kagiso Rabada left the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 with a foot injury just ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.
Rabada will undergo rehabilitation for a lower limb soft tissue infection that he suffered while representing Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2024, confirmed Cricket South Africa (CSA) in their recent announcement.
"The 28-year-old consulted a specialist on arrival in South Africa and is being closely monitored by the Cricket South Africa medical team," CSA said in a press release.
However, the infection is not serious as the 28-year-old will be available for the T20 World Cup which is set to begin on June 1 in the United States.
For PBKS, Rabada bagged 11 wickets in as many games and was one of their key performers throughout the tournament. Their assistant head coach, Brad Haddin, stated that there will be changes to the playing XI since Rabada and Liam Livingstone flew back to their countries.
"Yeah, there will be (changes to the Playing XI). We know Rabada's gone home injured, so we've got to find a replacement. Liam Livingstone has also been called back by the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board]. There'll be a change there also,” Haddin said.
“We'll meet later tonight to finalise the 11 or 12 that we'll go in with. Tomorrow's game is about going out there and expressing oneself. We are out of the tournament, which is disappointing, but it's still another opportunity for the younger guys and the team to develop.”
Rabada left IPL just two days after Livingstone flew back to England to fix his knee injury before the World Cup.
Livingstone was named in England’s squad for the upcoming Pakistan series and the World Cup and the all-rounder wanted to be in his best fitness as the 2022 World Cup winners will be defending their title.
Remember, PBKS have already been eliminated from the tournament as they just managed to accumulate eight points from 12 matches.