Proteas vs UAE | Kwena Maphaka, Jason Smith earn T20 World Cup debuts as SA win the toss

South Africa’s 19-year-old fast bowling sensation Kwena Maphaka and 31-year-old Jason Smith have earned their maiden T20 World Cup caps as the Proteas opted to bowl first against the United Arab Emirates in Delhi on Wednesday.

Having already booked their spot in the Super 8s of the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup, South Africa have taken the opportunity to rest several big guns, including Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, and David Miller.

Maphaka, Smith, George Linde, and Anrich Nortje have been drafted into the playing XI as the Proteas look to provide their bench with vital game time before the tournament's business end.

While the Proteas have already progressed, the match carries significant weight as a momentum-building exercise and a contingency test should a regular starter suffer an injury in the knockout stages.

Kagiso Rabada will lead the attack in the absence of the in-form Ngidi and Jansen. It is a crucial outing for Rabada, who is still searching for peak form and confidence, and he will now shoulder the responsibility of guiding a relatively inexperienced bowling unit.

Captain Aiden Markram called correctly at the toss and had no hesitation in bowling first, aiming to exploit the early moisture on the surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Proteas XI

1. Aiden Markram
2. Quinton de Kock
3. Ryan Rickelton
4. Dewald Brevis
5. Tristan Stubbs
6. Jason Smith
7. George Linde
8. Corbin Bosch
9. Kagiso Rabada
10. Anrich Nortje
11. Kwena Maphaka