Kwena Maphaka is young, fast and about six feet tall. When you have such attributes for a fast bowler, the sky is the limit. At just 18, Maphaka has gotten a taste of everything. He won the Under-19 World Cup with South Africa in 2024, represented the national team the same year and dismissed Babar Azam for his first Test wicket. In the ongoing SA20, Maphaka is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Joe Root, Dinesh Karthik and David Miller, and in the first match itself, took 2/35, including the wicket of a set Aiden Markram for 82. Couple that with the fact that Maphaka, who had big shoes to fill, bowled splendidly against Pakistan on his debut in Cape Town, finishing with a match haul of 3/90.
It’s still early days, but just within a year, Maphaka has become quite the buzz in South Africa. World cricket has witnessed pacers, but for a left-arm pacer to let it rip makes him an exciting, distinguished talent. That Rajasthan Royals spent ₹1.5 crore to bag Maphaka in the IPL mega auction sums up his meteoric rise. With 11 wickets in eight internationals, Maphaka has begun well. Maphaka’s ascension has captured not only the attention of fans in South Africa but also some of their top legendary cricketers, including former captain Graeme Smith, who believes that like any pacer, the teen sensation needs to be monitored and tracked, especially in terms of fitness.
“He is a supreme talent, and I like the fact that he is a natural. I don’t want him to be over-coached. I like watching him bowl; he has a good understanding. If he bowls a bad spell, he bounces back. He seems kind of free-spirited – not afraid to go for yorkers and bouncers. I was always afraid they didn’t make him a robot at this stage. Let him grow, let him learn, let him develop. He is a natural wicket-taker which is what you always want. You don’t want to kill that instinct in a bowler,” Smith, league commissioner of the SA20, told The Hindustan Times.
“He has probably got a little more opportunities this year because South Africa have had a lot of injuries. [Gerald] Coetzee has been out, [Arrich] Nortje has been out, Nandre Burger is out. But it’s great that he’s got the exposure. He now has a big opportunity in the SA20, and let’s see how he goes. Most fast bowlers pick up injuries and he must learn; those are the things that ultimately make you great. You go through those setbacks, then learn and grow.”
Maphaka’s bowling action is one of his most distinctive features. Already compared to the great Jasprit Bumrah because of it, Maphaka’s action significantly strains his body. With a high jump, a rapid arm swing, and an even quicker release, Maphaka clocks 140-145 clicks regularly. As Smith has noted, this technique could pose injury risks over time – much like Bumrah’s. However, beyond his unique action and the manner in which he has burst onto the scene, the legendary Shaun Pollock believes Maphaka should be given the space to develop on his own terms without the burden of comparisons to the GOAT-ed Bumrah.
Won’t put pressure on him to be a Bumrah: Shaun Pollock
“I wouldn’t put the pressure on him of becoming a Bumrah. Bumrah’s technique is very unique. We don’t want him to go down that road. But exciting times for him. I think in the Test match, we could see that he’s played just three First-Class games, and he was learning on the job which is not the easiest thing to do at the top level. But what a wonderful and exciting talent [he is]. I think we will see many years of entertainment and good skills from him,” Pollock to The Hindustan Times.
“He’s going to get stronger; he’s going to learn more about his bowling action; he’s going to get in better wrist positions and learn different variations. I wouldn’t put expectations on him. Just allow him to be whoever he is. He’s 18; my daughter is 18. I know what the mental state of people at 18 is. So, allow him to flourish; don’t put pressure, but it’s really exciting to imagine what he can achieve.”
After turning heads with his performances at the Under-19 level and making an impressive start in national colours, Maphaka has set the bar high. His captain at Paarl, Miller, envisions a bright career ahead, where Maphaka’s blistering pace will leave a mark. The Royals kicked off the tournament in style with a commanding nine-wicket victory over the two-time defending champions, Sunrisers Eastern Cape. However, as tougher challenges loom, Miller expects Maphaka to rise to the occasion both in and outside the SA20.
“He is a special player. He showed the world what he can do in his age group. The Under-19 World Cup. I think coming and playing against Pakistan in the T20s, just seeing the raw pace that he has at a young age, you can’t ignore it. For now, he has express pace but he is young and going to learn, and find his ways of being successful. But for now, what he’s got is great. So, to have him in our team and try and develop those skills as quickly as possible is going to be exciting. He’s a great kid, wants to learn, is willing to put in the hard yards and loves bowling,” Miller told HT.
Maphaka is aware that although he’s broken into the national team, it won’t be easy to retain his place once the injured pace trio of Coetzee, Nortje and Burger return. But as much as Smith, Pollock, and Miller have laid out their expectations from Maphaka, the one and only AB de Villiers kept it coy, hinting that a certain Kagiso Rabada may already be playing mentor to the youngster. “Kwena Maphaka has a long way to go, but he has a KG Rabada under his wing. And he is learning from the best,” ABD told HT.
