Staff Reporter.
Proteas Kwena Maphaka became the youngest bowler from full member cricket nations to take four wickets in a T20I match after finishing with career-best figures of 4/20 against Australia at the TIO Stadium in Marrara on Sunday.
His scalps included Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Ben Dwarshuis, and Adam Zampa. At just 19 years, and 124 days old Maphaka’s standout performance has likely cemented his place in South Africa’s T20I squad.
Maphaka went past the record of fellow South African Wayne Parnell, who was 19 years and 318 days old when he claimed a four-fer against the West Indies in 2009.
Maphaka was recently crowned the T20 Challenge Player of the Season at the CSA Awards 2024-25 after a stellar campaign in the domestic tournament, which saw him finish as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 13 scalps.
The young speed sensation made his T20I debut against the West Indies in August last year and became the youngest player to ever play an international game for South Africa at the age of 18 years and 137 days.
Once again premium pace bowler Kagiso Rabada did the early damage, claiming 2/13 in his initial two-over spell. This included a charged straight six from David’s second ball.
A third wicket for Rabada was disallowed when tailender Nathan Ellis was caught at deep square leg, only for the umpires to call no ball, giving Rabada 2/29 from his four overs.
Coming off a 37-ball century during Australia’s recent Twenty20 series in the West Indies, David went on to play Australia’s most sensible innings, to the delight of the sell out crowd.
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh set the tone by smashing the first ball of the match, from Lungi Ngidi, over long off for six after South African captain Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to bowl. Marsh said he would have also bowled first.
Marsh has been promoted to open the batting in a move that the selectors hope will bed down Australia’s now T20 opening combination with Travis Head as they build towards the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in just over six months’ time.
Returning to the team after resting from Australia’s 5-0 T20 triumph in the West Indies, Head missed several attempted cuts before slicing the fifth ball of Rabada’s first over to George Linde at point, who dropped what he should have taken.
It wasn’t a costly miss. Head sliced the next ball to Maphaka at gully and stayed, waiting for the tv umpire to rule that he would not be saved by a bump ball call.
Linde claimed Australia’s newly minted No 3 Josh Inglis first ball, slicing to Muthusamy at backward point.
Marsh (13) skied Rabada to Maphaka at deep square leg, Cameron Green (35 in 13 balls) skied Ngidi straight up in the air and Mitch Owen (2), played the worst shot of the night, charging Maphaka to lose his off stump.
The hosts were eventually bowled out for 178 off the final delivery.
The Australia bowlers will now hope to pick wickets at regular intervals to keep the Proteas in check. In the absence of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, Jos Hazlewood will be leading the proceedings.
Australia: Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (captain), Josh Inglis (wkt), Camerona Green, Tim David, Mitch Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde, Senuran Muthusamy, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi.
Compiled by Lehlohonolo Lehana.