Proteas' paceman Anrich Nortje is out of the Champions Trophy with a back injury. -AAP Image
South Africa's Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy with a back injury, the latest in a long line of setbacks for the fast bowler.
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Nortje was named in South Africa's squad on Monday, but 48 hours on officials have said he will not recover in time from a back problem ahead of the Group B opener against Afghanistan on February. 21. England and Australia are also in the pool.
Nortje's replacement will be named at a later date, with seamer Gerald Coetzee a possible pick after he recovered from a groin strain. The 18-year-old quick Kwena Maphaka is another option amid the well-stocked Proteas' fast-bowling reserves.
Nortje has had persistent injury issues over several seasons. He has not played a Test match since March 2023 and a one-day international since September of that year.
He was fit enough to feature in last year's Twenty20 World Cup, where South Africa lost in the final to India.
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