South Africa pacer Ottneil Baartman is set to miss the third ODI against Pakistan due to an injury. Notably, Pakistan have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and will be eager to complete a whitewash in the third game on Sunday, December 22 in Johannesburg.
South Africa will be without the services of Baartman in the final ODI, who has been ruled out due to a knee injury. The 31-year-old earlier complained of discomfort in his knee during the warm-up ahead of the second ODI and had to miss the match. The right-arm seamer took part in the first ODI and registered figures of 2/37 in seven overs.
Earlier, he also took three wickets from two matches in the T20I series. Baartman has been replaced by all-rounder Corbin Bosch in the ODI squad as South Africa aim to avoid a whitewash. Apart from him, South Africa have also been marred by an injury to their left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj who’s been ruled out of the entire series due to left abductor strain.
Heinrich Klaasen’s heroic knock goes in vain
Meanwhile, Pakistan won their third ODI series in South Africa with an 81-run win in the second ODI in Cape Town. After being put in to bat first, Pakistan posted a massive score of 329 in 49.5 overs as captain Mohammad Rizwan top scored with his innings of 80 (82). Apart from him, Babar Azam also played a good knock of 73 (95) while Kamran Ghulam gave a fiery finish to the innings with his knock of 63 (32).
Kwena Maphaka was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts with figures of 4/72 in 9.5 overs. In reply, South Africa were bundled out for 248 in 43.1 overs with Heinrich Klaasen being the lone warrior with his belligerent knock of 97 (74). As a result, Pakistan won the match by 81 runs and sealed the series by 2-0. Having been hammered in the first two games, the hosts will be desperate to avoid a whitewash in the final game.
