Kwena makes more waves

It’s one thing for South Africans to recognise one of our own rising stars. It’s another thing entirely when talented young prospects are acknowledged globally.

Already one of the most exciting bowlers in South African cricket, Kwena Maphaka took a massive step forward in his career yesterday when it was confirmed that the 17-year-old left-armer had been snatched up by Indian Premier League (IPL) team the Mumbai Indians.

Maphaka, who turns 18 next month, enjoyed some breakthroughs in 2023, making his first-class debut for the South Africa A team against Sri Lanka A and competing in his first list A oneday match for the SA Emerging team.

Earlier this year, he shone for the SA junior side at the U-19 World Cup on home soil, taking an impressive 21 wickets (including three five-wicket hauls) at an average of 9.71 and receiving the Player of the Tournament award for his efforts.

He also found a spot in the Paarl Royals squad for the SA20 tournament, and while he has only nine senior T20 matches under his belt, he made headlines yesterday after being called up to the Mumbai Indians squad as a replacement for injured Sri Lankan player Dilshan Madushanka.

Considering the impact he has already made, Maphaka is expected to be the next big thing in South African cricket, and it seems only a matter of time before he makes his debut for the Proteas. And his inclusion in the prestigious IPL tournament will give him significant experience at the highest level of the game, provided he gets a match or two for his side.

He still has a lot of work to do to reach his full potential, but if there was any doubt that Maphaka has the ability to become one of SA’s alltime greats with the ball, that must surely have been put to rest.

Cricketers don’t just earn spots in IPL squads, which are limited to the best players in the world, and as much as we might already see the value in his talent, it’s even more promising that the rest of the world sees it too.