Temba Bavuma Suffers Elbow Injury Ahead of ICC WTC Final 2025, South Africa Sweat Over Batter's Fitness

Temba Bavuma has suffered an injury in his left elbow that has put his participation in the ICC WTC Final 2025 against Australia in serious doubt. 

Bavuma was supposed to turn out for his domestic team The Lions in the CSA 4-Day Series Division 1 final against the Titans but he pulled out at the 11th hour. 

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Even the Lions found out on Wednesday, the day the final was to begin, that he would not be available for selection. 

And given the nature of the injury is unknown, it does raise doubts over whethere or not he would be available for South Africa's WTC Final game vs Australia. 

Bavuma's History of Elbow Issues

To make things worse, South Africa's Test captain has a history of injuries on the left elbow, which started all the way back in 2022. 

He missed 3 months due to a left elbow injury in the 2022 season and then re-injured the same elbow in 2024 during an ODI against Ireland. 

The impact of that injury has seen him batting with a heavily strapped elbow throughout this season, whether in white or red-ball cricket. 

He managed to find some form in the Tests South Africa played but his white-ball form has been mixed, with the injury being one of the key reasons for that. 

SA On Cusp of History

Bavuma will be key to South Africa's chances of winning the WTC Final, which will be their first-ever ICC trophy since the 1998 Champions Trophy. 

The team still have 8 weeks to go for the marquee clash, which will take place against defending champions Australia. 

They will play a few practice matches before then, but given a lot of their players are engaged in the IPL as of now, they will not play any official international matches prior to the final.