Punjab Kings pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada will not feature in his team’s last two matches of the 2024 IPL, against Rajasthan Royals tonight (May 15) and against Sunrisers Hyderabad (May 19). He is flying back home with an injury.

With eight points from 12 games, Punjab are last on the points table, and are out of the race for the playoffs, but they may still avoid the wooden spoon. With the English contingent – Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes – likely to return and captain Shikhar Dhawan out with an injury, Punjab are set to play with a depleted side in at least the Hyderabad match.

In a social media post, the official handle of the South Africa men’s team wrote: “Proteas Men’s fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has returned home from the Indian Premier League due to a lower limb soft tissue infection. The 28-year-old consulted a specialist on arrival in South Africa and is being closely monitored by the Cricket South Africa medical team.”

However, the post also assured that “his preparation for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA are not expected to be affected.”

From 11 matches in IPL 2024, Rabada has claimed 11 wickets at 33.82 apiece while going at 8.92 an over.

Proteas Men’s fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has returned home from the Indian Premier League due to a lower limb soft tissue infection.

The 28-year-old consulted a specialist on arrival in South Africa and is being closely monitored by the Cricket South Africa medical team.

His… pic.twitter.com/Uo4XAaGmPU

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) May 15, 2024

South Africa are in Group D for the first round of the T20 World Cup. They play Sri Lanka on June 3, the Netherlands on June 8, and Bangladesh on June 10 – all at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Their last group match is against Nepal at the Arnos Vale Ground at Kingstown, St Vincent on June 15.