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South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma reacts after playing a shot on day three of the World Test Championship final between South Africa and Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
After guiding South Africa to a historic World Test Championship win last week against Australia with a strained hamstring, captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the Proteas two-Test series against Zimbabwe, set to start on June 28.
“Proteas Men’s Test captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the upcoming two-match Test series against Zimbabwe due to a left hamstring strain. Bavuma sustained the injury while batting during South Africa’s second innings on day three of the ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia at Lord’s Cricket Ground. He is set to undergo further scans to assess the extent of the injury. Keshav Maharaj will captain the side in his absence,” the South Africa cricket team’s X account posted.
Bavuma was injured in the second innings of South Africa’s five-wicket victory, soldiering on as he scored a crucial 66 in a match-winning third wicket stand of 147 with centurion Aiden Markram. Keshav Maharaj will captain the side in Bavuma’s absence, with no replacement named in the squad for the latter.
“As much as the Aussies were saying we were chokers in the field, we never made it our thing. We just said we’ve got to keep going and be relentless, and the harder we knock, the doors will open. Chokers was not our tag to carry, we never spoke about it, although you always feel a responsibility when you wear the badge,” Bavuma had said earlier this week at the Cricket South Africa headquarters, where his side were given an official welcome.
The win over Australia gave South Africa their first major trophy since 1998, when they won the ICC KnockOut Trophy (later rebranded as ICC Championship Trophy). The Proteas received a grand welcome after returning home on Wednesday. Bavuma’s men were greeted by several thousand supporters when they landed in Johannesburg following a five-wicket win over Australia in the final at Lord’s last week.
The first test vs Zimbabwe will be played from June 28-July 2 at the Queens Sports Club, with the second also in Bulawayo from July 6-10.
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