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Faf du Plessis Ruled Out of SA20 with Thumb Injury, Needs Surgery

Joburg Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis has been ruled out of the remainder of the SA20 season due to a right thumb ligament tear that requires surgery. He sustained the injury while fielding during a match against MI Cape Town, which his team went on to lose. Head coach Stephen Fleming expressed pessimism about the injury, confirming du Plessis could not even hold a bat. This is a second major blow for JSK, who are currently third in the standings, after Rilee Rossouw was also ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Key Points: Faf du Plessis Injured, Out of SA20 Season

  • Thumb ligament tear requires surgery
  • Injured while fielding against MI Cape Town
  • JSK lost the match chasing 235
  • Team's second major injury after Rilee Rossouw
  • JSK third in points table
2 min read

JSK skipper Faf Du Plessis ruled out of remainder of SA20 due to thumb injury

Joburg Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis sustains a thumb ligament tear, requiring surgery and ending his SA20 campaign.

"He got his thumb jammed in the ground, which has done some damage. - Stephen Fleming"

Johannesburg, January 13

Joburg Super Kings skipper Faf Du Plessis has sustained a right thumb ligament tear, which has ruled him out of the ongoing season of SA20 for the remaining matches, leaving the veteran batter in need of surgery.

During the clash against MI Cape Town on Saturday, Plessis, 41, suffered the injury while fielding during the first innings, and his team attempted a chase of 235 without him coming out to bat. Despite half-centuries from James Vince and Dian Forrester, JSK could only make 198/5 in their 20 overs.

JSK head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the injury in the post-match presser, saying that it made it really difficult for the batter to even hold his bat.

"He got his thumb jammed in the ground, which has done some damage," Fleming said after Saturday's match, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. "Obviously enough damage not to bat, which was not good; when you are chasing 200, you need your star players to be out there."

"So, to lose him is another factor, but we will take into consideration what happens going forward. We are hoping it is bruising and settles down, but I don't think I feel overly optimistic with the amount of injuries we have had so far."

"A bit of a pessimistic view on these things, so I am hoping for the best, but we may have to prepare for other means," he concluded.

During this season in five innings, Faf scored 135 runs at an average of 151.68, with a best score of 47. For JSK, this is a second major injury blow after fellow South African batter Rilee Rossouw suffered a hamstring injury which will keep him out of the competition.

Under Faf, JSK has made it to the playoffs in all three previous seasons but is yet to win the title. In 40 matches and 36 innings for them, he has made 1,029 runs at an average of 32.15, with a strike rate of almost 144, with a century and seven fifties.

JSK is placed third in the points table, with three wins from seven matches, giving them 17 points, behind Pretoria Capitals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Feel so bad for Faf! 😔 He's a true warrior of the game. Remember his amazing innings for CSK in the IPL. Injuries are the worst part of sports. Wishing him a speedy recovery and a strong comeback.
R
Rohit P
With Rossouw also out, JSK's batting looks really thin now. They need someone to step up big time. Maybe this is a chance for a young player to become a hero. The team management has to think strategically.
S
Sarah B
Stephen Fleming's comments sound really worried. "A bit of a pessimistic view" says it all. The team's morale must be low after losing two key players. Hope they can rally together.
V
Vikram M
As a cricket fan, it's sad to see. But let's be honest, at this stage of his career, his body is more prone to injuries. Maybe it's a sign to focus on coaching or commentary? He has so much to offer the game off the field too.
K
Karthik V
His stats for JSK are solid – over 1000 runs! That's proper consistency. The team always makes playoffs under him, which shows his captaincy value. This injury might just cost them the title this year. Bad timing yaar.

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