Having lost a handful of top players, including Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada to the Indian Premier League, injuries further depleted the camp.
Skipper Temba Bavuma, Allrounder Dwaine Pretorius and opening batsman Reeza Hendricks have all had to pull out with injuries.
The result is that expectations have been lowered considerably, but opportunities abound for players to put on breakthrough performances.
It's a tough ask to come in against a Pakistan team with a great balance in the format and now sport a much more aggressive top order, thanks in part to talents unearthed in the PSL.
For someone like Heinrich Klaasen, there will be a significant burden to drag the youngsters around him along as the skipper.
Aiden Markram gets a chance to prove he is a three-format player after all, and while his partnership with Janneman Malan might be short-lived, it has a certain promise.
In the inexperienced squad, Rassie van der Dussen will be viewed as a senior player as well and is another with plenty to prove in the T20 format and a case to make for his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad. Especially with Kyle Verreynne continuing to knock on the door for a place in the middle order.
Wihan Lubbe and Pite van Biljon can show they are much more than franchise hands, but for the latter, time is running out to impress selectors.
Van Biljon has got going before but will be asked to do the job of finisher while Miller is away. Miller remains the incumbent in the role, and it would take some effort to shift him.
For most of the bowlers, hopes of a full-time berth in the attack might be considered far fetched, with South Africa's three best pacemen all absent and young Marco Jansen making his case in the Indian Premier League.
The quicks in the squad must relish this opportunity, and there should be a real scrap to move up the pecking order and fight for squad places and future chances.
Tabraiz Shamsi is a dead-cert for the T20 World Cup squad if he is fit, while George Linde has the inside lane to be the second spinner, but he too needs to perform in this series or risk sliding down that pecking order.
The series against Pakistan will be less about team performance and more about individuals staking their claims.