Sunrisers Eastern Cape will have major setbacks as key players Sisanda Magala and Craig Overton are ruled out due to injuries, impacting their preparations for the SA20 2024 League.
Sisanda Magala ruled out of SA20 League
The defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape have been dealt a major blow to their title aspirations ahead of the new season.
The franchise will be playing without the services of a key fast bowler, who will be sidelined out of the tournament owing to injury. This has been announced by the franchise on their social media.
Patrick Kruger, a South African batting all-rounder has been named as his replacement. Sisanda Magala who was part of the CSK during the IPL season 2023, was the key player who helped the Sunrisers Eastern Cape victory in SA20 last season.
Magala was brought in as a replacement for injured Kyle Jamieson by the MS Dhoni-led franchise. He made his debut during the match against Mumbai Indians and made two appearances in the season.
Magala was the leading wicket-taker as Eastern Cape’s leading wicket-taker among pacers with 14 dismissals in 12 games with an average of 24. His experience in the SA20 league earned him T20I and ODI debuts for South Africa.
He can break through the defenses of the batters during the powerplay and can also deceive with a mean slower delivery in the death overs. Sunrisers Eastern Cape will be without another pacer who was supposed to make his debut in the SA20.
Craig Overton, the English bowling all-rounder has been ruled out due to injury. The franchise is yet to announce a replacement for him.
The bowling department will now have to depend on all-rounder Marco Jansen. Jansen has been more successful with the bat than the ball last year, averaging 44.25 with a strike rate of 150.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape will be playing their first SA20 League 2024 against Durban’s Super Giants on January 13 at St. George’s Oval.
