Temba Bavuma Ruled Out Of 3rd ODI Against Ireland Due To Injury; New Captain Named

Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of third ODI (Source:ProteasMenCSA/X.com)

Temba Bavuma, the regular South African skipper has been ruled out of the third and final ODI of the three-match series against Ireland. Rassie van der Dussen has been named as captain for the final game while Reeza Hendricks is set to join the squad as Bavuma's replacement. Along with Bavuma, all-rounder Wiaan Mulder will also miss the final ODI as he has returned back to South Africa due to personal reasons.

The Proteas are leading the ODI series by a 2-0 margin, and Bavuma has been ruled out due to a soft tissue injury he suffered on his left elbow during the second ODI. The right-handed batter has a long history of injuries and recently also missed the ODI series against Afghanistan due to an injury. Bavuma scored four runs in the first game of the series, but he had to leave the field in the second game while batting on 35 after his elbow injury. Reeza Hendricks is now expected to fit at the top of the order in his absence.

South Africa Expected To Experiment In Absence Of  Bavuma, Mulder

Also, with the series already in the bag and Wiaan Mulder also not available for the final game, South Africa are expected to tinker with their playing XI. They have dominated Ireland so far, and with an eye on Champions Trophy, South Africa are expected to provide chances to all the players in their squad. This is also the first time that Rassie van der Dussen will lead the ODI side and with batters like Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton in form, Bavuma and Mulder's absence is not likely to be a big issue for the Proteas.

The third ODI is also a final opportunity for Ireland to show their potential against a big team like South Africa, and it could be an interesting watch with both teams expected to experiment in the final game.

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