Australia have been hit by injuries ahead of their three-match ODI series against South Africa, set to start on August 19 in Cairns. Mitchell Owen, Lance Morris, and Matt Short have been ruled out.

Owen suffered a concussion after Kagiso Rabada’s bouncer hit the grille of his helmet during the second T20I. He passed the mandatory tests, but delayed symptoms forced him to follow the 12-day concussion protocol.

Short hasn’t recovered from a side strain sustained during the tour of the West Indies.

Morris is dealing with lower back soreness. He has returned to Perth for treatment, putting his availability in doubt for the Australia A tour of India.

Aaron Hardie, Matthew Kuhnemann, and Cooper Connolly have been added as replacements.

Australia won the first T20I by 17 runs against the Proteas, but the visitors registered an impressive victory in the second contest.

Dewald Brevis scored 125 not out of 56 balls, the highest T20I score by a South African batter.

With the three-match series levelled at 1–1, the decider in Cairns is expected to be a thriller.