In a significant setback for Pretoria Capitals in the upcoming SA20 season, they announced that their star pacer, Anrich Nortje, will be sidelined for the entire tournament. Nortje, who has been grappling with back issues since September 2023, had already missed major events like the ODI World Cup 2023 and India’s tour of South Africa.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Pretoria Capitals shared the news of Nortje’s extended absence, expressing well-wishes for his speedy recovery. The seamer sustained the back injury during South Africa’s ODI series against Australia in September 2023. In response to Nortje’s unavailability, the franchise introduced seasoned all-rounder Hardus Viljoen as his replacement.
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“Capitals seamer Anrich Nortje will miss out on Season 2 of the #SA20, as he continues his recovery from an injury. The Pretoria family wishes him a speedy recovery,” tweeted Capitals.
UPDATE 🚨
Capitals seamer Anrich Nortje will miss out on Season 2 of the #SA20, as he continues his recovery from an injury. The Pretoria family wishes him a speedy recovery!#RoarSaamMore pic.twitter.com/pzUfipH5Fh
— Pretoria Capitals (@PretoriaCapsSA) January 9, 2024
Hardus Viljoen, now stepping in for Nortje, also served as an injury replacement in the SA20 during its inaugural season with the Joburg Super Kings. Despite not being part of the initial SA20 draft, Viljoen has once again found himself making a significant impact in the tournament.
Pretoria Capitals is set to commence its SA20 2024 season against Paarl Royals, with the match scheduled for Friday, January 12, at Boland Park in Paarl. Despite Nortje’s absence, the Capitals aim to deliver a strong performance and secure their first victory of the season.
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Pretoria Capitals Squad for SA20: Migael Pretorius, Jimmy Neesham, Rilee Rossouw, Colin Ingram, Senuran Muthusamy, Wayne Parnell (c), Theunis de Bruyn, Adil Rashid, Will Jacks, Eathan Bosch, Hardus Viljoen, Shane Dadswell, Corbin Bosch, Daryn Dupavillon, Kyle Verreynne, Matthew Boast, Paul Stirling, Phil Salt, Tiaan van Vuuren
