Joburg Super Kings have been dealt a massive blow for the rest of the SA20 2026 season after their skipper, Faf Du Plessis, was ruled out due to a severe thumb injury. The experienced South African right-hand batter suffered a right thumb ligament tear, which requires surgical treatment, hence ruling him out of the current season’s action.
Injury Occurred During Clash Against MI Cape Town
This injury came when JSK had a high-scoring match against MI Cape Town over the weekend. Faf Du Plessis injured his thumb during the fielding process of the first innings and did not, therefore, take to the crease to bat when his side needed to chase a rather tall 235-run target. JSK struggled to win the match even with the support of half-centuries from James Vince and Dian Forrester.
Stephen Fleming Confirms Severity of Injury
JK head coach Stephen Fleming spoke after the match and confirmed the severity of the injury. He said that Du Plessis’s thumb was in bad shape that he was not even able to hold the bat in his grip.
Fleming made clear that Du Plessis jammed his thumb into the ground while fielding, resulting in substantial damage. “It’s always a shame to lose one of your better players at a stage when you are chasing a target,” he said, voicing his worry about the increasing list of injuries in the squad.
Although there was some hope that the injury could possibly be no more than bruising, Fleming admitted that he himself was not very optimistic about the situation, and that alternative solutions might have to be found.
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Faf Du Plessis’ Performance in SA20 2026
Before his injury, Faf Du Plessis had been playing very well for JSK. The batsman has scored 135 runs from five outings so far, maintaining a strike rate of 151.68, so his unavailability would come as a blow as the tournament progresses to a decisive stage.
Second Major Injury Blow for JSK
This is the second significant injury blow to the Joburg Super Kings this season. Earlier, Rilee Rossouw had been ruled out of the SA20 because of a hamstring injury, which has made the batting lineup of the JSK even weaker.
The franchise has already revealed that the replacement for Faf Du Plessis’ would soon be announced to fill the team for the rest of the matches.
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JSK’s Position on the SA20 Points Table
JSK, despite injury concerns, sit third on the SA20 2026 points table, pocketing three wins from seven matches and gathering 17 points. They are behind Pretoria Capitals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape with a surge in this playoff race.
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