Keshav Maharaj injury: What happened to Keshav Maharaj in SA vs WI Johannesburg Test?

In what was more of bitter and less of a sweet moment, South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj injured himself whilst celebrating a wicket on the fourth day of the second Test match against West Indies in Johannesburg today.

Not able to stand on his own after suffering a serious injury, Maharaj had to be stretchered off the ground in not the most pleasing of scenes on a cricket field.

Maharaj, 33, has joined the likes of England’s Jonny Bairstow and Australia’s Glenn Maxwell among high-profile cricketers to get injured in bizarre ways in the recent months.

Keshav Maharaj injury

It all happened on the penultimate delivery of the 19th over when Maharaj found West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers (7) wanting in front of the stumps. Failing to make contact with the ball in his attempt to play a defensive shot, Mayers survived at first as the on-field umpire ruled the decision in his favour.

Having said that, South Africa captain Temba Bavuma challenging the umpire’s decision resulted in three reds on replays. As a result, Mayers had to walk back to the pavilion to become the sixth West Indian batter to get out amid an archetype batting collapse.

It was at this very point in time when an ecstatic Maharaj did his left foot due to an awkward fall. Maharaj, who appears to have suffered an achilles injury, has been sent to a hospital for MRI scans to evaluate the extent of the injury.

South Africa beat West Indies by 284 runs

Chasing a 391-run target, the visitors suffered an embarrassing defeat after getting bundled out for 106 in 35.1 overs. West Indies, who didn’t lose any wicket in the first 10 overs, lost as many as six for 13 runs before the lunch break to not put on display any sort of competition with the bat in hand unlike the first innings.

Last of five South African bowlers used by Bavuma on Saturday, pacer Gerald Coetzee was the pick of them all with bowling figures of 8-1-37-3. While spinner Simon Harmer also picked three wickets, Maharaj and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada dismissed a couple of batters each.