World Cup 2023: South Africa captain Temba Bavuma travels back home for family reasons, to miss warm-up matches

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South Africa captain Temba Bavuma will miss the side's two warm-up matches ahead of the World Cup 2023 as he is travelling back home for personal reasons. South Africa are scheduled to play Afghanistan and New Zealand on September 29 and October 2 in Thiruvananthapuram.

"Proteas ODI Captain Temba Bavuma will travel back home due to family reasons Bavuma misses 2 #CWC23 warm-up matches," the CSA said in a statement which also confirmed that Aiden Markram would be leading the side in the two matches before the main event which starts from October 5.

Temba Bavuma is expected to rejoin the squad ahead of South Africa’s first match of the World Cup 2023 against Sri Lanka in Delhi on October 7.

South Africa have travelled to India without their premier fast bowlers Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala. Nortje has a suspected stress fracture of the back, while Magala is suffering from a left knee injury. Both the players have been ruled out of the entire tournament.

Temba Bavuma had an event last few weeks. He hit a cracking hundred under pressure in the first ODI against Australia on September 7. The opener suffered a hamstring niggle but was declared fit to play the second and the third ODI which saw him score 46 and 57 runs respectively.

The 33-year-old then suffered an inner thigh muscle strain and was rested from the fourth ODI as a precautionary measure. Bavuma returned for the fifth and final ODI but was dismissed for a 2-ball duck. However, South Africa won the 5-match series 3-2.

With Bavuma not available, Reeza Hendricks is very likely to open with Quinton de Kock in the warm-up matches in Thiruvananthapuram.

South Africa squad for World Cup 2023: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen