The Mumbai Indians announced on Wednesday that South African teen sensation Kwena Maphaka has been drafted into the team for the upcoming IPL season The Mumbai Indians announced on Wednesday that South African teen sensation Kwena Maphaka has been drafted into the team for the upcoming IPL season. Photo: Supplied
South African teen sensation Kwena Maphaka will get a break from his matric studies to play in the Indian Premier League.
It’s been a crazy year for the 17-year-old, who starred for South Africa at the recently Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the country earlier this year, and followed that up with some impressive performances for the Lions in the CSA T20 Challenge.
Maphaka, who is in matric at St Stithians in Johannesburg, has been named in the Mumbai Indians squad as replacement for Dilshan Madushanka, who has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
He attends the same school Kagiso Rabada matriculated from, and according to reports, the Proteas’ star bowler had a hand in getting the highly rated teenager to the IPL.
According to a statement released by the team, Maphaka will become one of the youngest players to play in the IPL.
After impressing for the South African A team last year, he went on to play a starring role for the country at this year’s Under -19 World Cup, where he finished as the Player of the Tournament after picking up 21 wickets.
In India, the teenager will get to share a dressing room with bowling coach Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah, a player he looks up to.
After picking up five wickets against the West Indies at the U19 World Cup, Maphaka said: “Jasprit Bumrah you are a great bowler but hopefully I am better than You.”
Maphaka will be the third South African in the Mumbai Indians team. He is joined by the other South African cricket progidies in Dewald Brevis and Gerald Coetzee.
IOL Sport
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