South Africa suffer major setback as Dewald Brevis ruled out of Pakistan ODI series

South Africa have suffered a huge blow ahead of their three-match ODI series against Pakistan, as rising star Dewald Brevis has been ruled out with a shoulder muscle strain. The 22-year-old picked up the injury during the recently concluded T20I series, forcing him to miss out on the 50-over fixtures starting this week.

Proteas forced to reshuffle ahead of Pakistan challenge

Brevis, who has been touted as one of South Africa’s most promising young batters, sustained a low-grade shoulder strain during the third T20I in Lahore. Though the injury is not serious, the medical team decided to rest him as a precaution to avoid aggravating the issue. He will remain with the squad in Pakistan for rehabilitation and recovery.

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Cricket South Africa confirmed that the youngster will continue his recovery under team management supervision. His absence, however, is a significant setback for a side already experimenting with new combinations after several senior players were rested. Brevis’ ability to accelerate the scoring rate and handle spin in the middle overs would have been crucial against Pakistan’s strong bowling attack.

Opportunity for others to step-up

With Brevis sidelined, the Proteas are expected to reshuffle their batting order. Players like Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, and Aiden Markram will now have greater responsibility to stabilize the middle order and provide the firepower that Brevis usually brings.

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The young batter’s absence also serves as a reminder of the workload challenges faced by modern cricketers, particularly those balancing international and franchise cricket. South Africa’s management is keen to ensure Brevis’ long-term fitness, given his importance in white-ball plans ahead of next year’s major tournaments.