Nortje ruled out as SA announce T20I squad for Zimbabwe Tri-Series
South Africa’s star pace spearhead Anrich Nortje has been ruled out once again for an uncertain length of time owing to a ‘stress reaction’, which also kept him out of action for more than a year since the T20 World Cup 2024. He will also miss the upcoming T20I series in Zimbabwe due to this injury
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International career
Anrich Arno Nortje, born in November 1993, is a cricketer from South Africa known for his pace and skillful bowling. He made his debut for the national team in March 2019. In 2020, Cricket South Africa named him the newcomer of the year due to his impressive rise in the sport.
- February 2019: Nortje was included in South Africa’s ODI squad for the series against Sri Lanka.
- March 3, 2019: He played his first ODI match against Sri Lanka.
- March 2019: Nortje was also selected for the T20I squad for the Sri Lanka series, but he had to withdraw due to injury.
- April 2019: He was named in South Africa’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. However, a hand injury forced him out of the tournament, and Chris Morris replaced him on May 7, 2019.
- August 2019: He was included in both the Test and T20I squads for the series against India.
- September 18, 2019: Nortje made his T20I debut against India.
- October 10, 2019: He played his first Test match against India.
- January 2020: In the fourth Test against England, Nortje took his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
- March 2020: He received a national contract from Cricket South Africa for the 2020–21 season.
- September 2021: He was named in South Africa's squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
- September 2023: He was selected for the 2023 Cricket World Cup, but an injury kept him out of the tournament.
- May 2024: Nortje was named in South Africa’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
- 2024 ICC T20 World Cup: He was the top wicket-taker for his team in the group stage, taking 9 wickets. He maintained an average of 10.66 and an economy rate of 4.37.
- June 3, 2024: Nortje recorded his best bowling performance in a match against Sri Lanka, taking 4 wickets for 7 runs. This performance broke the South African record for the best bowling in a T20 World Cup.
- End of 2024 ICC T20 World Cup: He was named to the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Best Player team and ranked 12th.
Test Career: Nortje has played 19 Test matches and taken 70 wickets. He has an economy rate of 3.67. His best performance came against Sri Lanka in 2021 at the Wanderers Stadium, where he took 6 wickets for 56 runs.
T20I Career: As of June 25, 2024, Nortje has played 9 T20I matches. He has taken 11 wickets with an economy rate of 7.09. His best bowling performance was 4 wickets for 7 runs against Sri Lanka in the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
ODI Career: Nortje has played 22 ODI matches over 5 years and taken 36 wickets. He has not played more than 5 matches in a single year, and he has yet to reach 10 wickets in any year.
Leagues Participation
Anrich Nortje has played in many franchise cricket leagues, proving himself as a top bowler. His journey through leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL), Mzansi Super League, and others highlights key moments and achievements in his career.
Indian Premier League (IPL)
Anrich Nortje has been part of the IPL with some key moments.
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Year
|
Team
|
Position
|
Price
|
Details
|
|
2019
|
Kolkata Knight Riders
|
-
|
-
|
Ruled out with shoulder injury
|
|
2020
|
Delhi Capitals
|
Bowler
|
-
|
Joined as a replacement for Chris Woakes
|
|
2025
|
Kolkata Knight Riders
|
Bowler
|
₹6.50 Crores INR
|
Bought again for the 2025 IPL season
|
In December 2018, Nortje joined the Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2019 IPL. However, a shoulder injury kept him out of the tournament. He was released before the 2020 season and then joined Delhi Capitals as a replacement for Chris Woakes. He bowled the fastest delivery of the 2020 season at 156.22 km/h. In November 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders picked him again for ₹6.50 crores INR for the 2025 IPL.
Mzansi Super League (MSL)
Nortje had a brief, but strong presence in the Mzansi Super League.
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Year
|
Team
|
Position
|
Details
|
|
2018
|
Cape Town Blitz
|
Bowler
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Injured during the tournament
|
In October 2018, Nortje was part of Cape Town Blitz for the Mzansi Super League. He had to leave the tournament because of an ankle injury. However, he impressed with his bowling speed, reaching 150 km/h. He played three matches and took eight wickets.
Caribbean Premier League (CPL)
Nortje’s involvement in the CPL has seen him play for different teams.
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Year
|
Team
|
Position
|
Details
|
|
2020
|
St Lucia Zouks
|
Bowler
|
Missed the tournament due to travel issues
|
|
2024
|
St Kitts & Nevis Patriots
|
Bowler
|
Replaced injured players
|
In July 2020, Nortje was named to play for St Lucia Zouks, but he missed the tournament due to travel problems. In August 2024, he joined St Kitts & Nevis Patriots to replace injured players Wanindu Hasaranga and Nuwan Thushara. He made a big impact in the match against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons by taking the first wicket of the game.
Major League Cricket (MLC)
Nortje joined Major League Cricket in the USA in 2023.
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Year
|
Team
|
Position
|
Details
|
|
2023
|
Washington Freedom
|
Bowler
|
Played 8 matches, took 3 wickets
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Nortje was chosen to play for Washington Freedom in March 2023 for the first season of Major League Cricket. He played 8 matches in the 2023 season and took 3 wickets. A notable moment was on July 17, 2023, when he bowled a ball that Dwayne Bravo hit for 17.2 meters.
Domestic career
Anrich Nortje started his domestic career in the 2016 AfricanT20 Cup with Eastern Province. He played in the first two matches but struggled, finishing with 0/50 in 6 overs. He was dropped from the team for the rest of the tournament, and Eastern Province went on to win it.
In 2018, Nortje joined Cape Town Blitz for the first edition of the Mzansi Super League. The team bought him for Rs.350,000. However, an ankle injury stopped him from playing the whole tournament.
Records and achievements
Anrich Nortje has reached several milestones in his career:
- 2018: He won the Warriors Cricket Award as the Most Promising Player of the Year.
- 2021:
- He received the Cricket South Africa's Men's Cricketer of the Year Award.
- He was named Test Cricket Player of the Year.
- He won the Supporters' Player of the Year Award.
- He took home the Players' Player of the Year Award.
- 2023: He was honored as the "Men's Cricketer of the Year" at Cricket South Africa's Awards.
- 2024:
- He was named "Player of the Match" for his performance against Sri Lanka on June 3, 2024, where he took 4 wickets for 7 runs.
- He achieved his best result in the T20 World Cup for South Africa, with 4 wickets for 7 runs in a match against Sri Lanka.
- He shares second place for the most wickets for South Africa in T20 World Cups, having taken 24 wickets in 11 matches.
- 2020: He bowled the fastest ball in IPL history, clocked at 156.22 km/h.
Personal life
Anrich Nortje was born on November 16, 1993, in Uitenhage, South Africa. His mother is Amanda Nortje, and he has a brother named Anton and a sister named Lizel Bouwer. He is married to Micaela Kleu, a teacher. The couple has been together since their high school days. They got married in 2020 and share a strong bond, often posting about each other on social media.
Family
Anrich and Micaela started dating in 2010. Micaela works as a teacher at Laerskool Summerwood Primary School in Port Elizabeth.
Finance
Anrich Nortje’s net worth in 2024 is around $5 million. His wealth comes from playing cricket, his IPL salary, and brand deals.
Cars and House
Anrich has an impressive car collection, including:
- Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG: This car has a 4.0-liter Bi-Turbo V8 engine with 480 horsepower and 850 nm of torque. It costs around $159,990.
- Audi RS5: It has a 2.9-liter Twin Turbo V6 engine, with 445 horsepower and 600 nm of torque. It’s worth around $77,900.
He also owns a luxury house in Cape Town, South Africa.
Scandals
In March 2024, Anrich was left out of the South African national team for the 2024-2025 season. This was because of an injury that kept him from playing international matches since September 2023. In April 2024, during an IPL match against Delhi Capitals, he commented on MS Dhoni’s powerful shots, surprised by their strength.
Fans
Anrich has a strong fan following, especially among Delhi Capitals supporters. When he joined the team in 2022, fans were excited. He also has nearly 200,000 followers on Instagram.
