Batsman Richard Levi was not considered after suffering two broken bones in his left hand while fielding in a warm-up match on Monday.
Levi will be out of action for between four and six weeks and will play no further part in the tournament. He has been replaced by Stiaan van Zyl.
Levi’s injury provided an opportunity for wicketkeeper Ryan Canning to gain a place in the starting line-up.
Captain Andrew Puttick had been expected to fill the roles of opening batsman and wicketkeeper in addition to leading the side but he will now be able to hand the gloves to Canning, who is also a useful batsman.
Speaking from Bangalore, Cape Cobras chief executive Andre Odendaal acknowledged that the loss of Levi was a blow, following the earlier withdrawal of national captain Graeme Smith on the advice of Cricket South Africa’s medical panel.
“The main problem for the batsmen has been to adjust to the slow and low pitches but there is a good vibe in the team and the players will be looking to make an impact in the first match,” said Professor Odendaal.
All-rounders Vernon Philander and Rory Kleinveldt could both have key roles to play, especially with the ball, as they will need to provide solid support for the experienced Charl Langeveldt and Claude Henderson.
Levi suffered two fractures of the distal scaphoid when he fell heavily, trying to take a catch near the boundary during the Cobras’ match against a Karnataka XI in Bangalore on Monday. He landed on a hard area of the field which is also used for practice nets.
Cape Cobras:
Andrew Puttick (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, JP Duminy, Henry Davids, Justin Ontong, Vernon Philander, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan Canning, Claude Henderson, Charl Langeveldt and Monde Zondeki
Twelfth man, Sybrand Engelbrecht