Kwena Maphaka

International career

Kwena Maphaka’s journey in international cricket has been impressive. He has quickly made a name for himself with standout performances at a young age.

• 2023
  • June: Maphaka debuted in first-class cricket at the age of 17 during South Africa A's tour of Sri Lanka. He took 2 wickets in the first innings and dismissed Sri Lanka A's captain in the second innings.
  • August: After Lungi Ngidi’s injury, Maphaka was added to South Africa’s T20I squad for their series against the West Indies. He debuted on 23 August, becoming the youngest South African to play in men's international cricket at just 18 years and 137 days. He took 1/25 in 3.5 overs, with West Indian captain Rovman Powell as his first wicket.
• 2024
  • August: Maphaka was again part of the South African squad for the T20I series against the West Indies.
  • December: He replaced Gerald Coetzee for the second Test against Sri Lanka after Coetzee suffered a groin injury.
  • 19 December: Maphaka made his ODI debut against Pakistan, becoming the youngest South African to play in ODIs. He took 4/72, with Babar Azam as his first ODI wicket.

Kwena Maphaka’s performances in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup have gained attention. He has set multiple records and shown his skill in his age group.

• 2022:
  • Maphaka, at the age of 15, was included in South Africa’s squad for the 2022 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He played in three matches, taking 7 wickets with an average of 18.28.
• 2023-2024:
  • In his first match against the West Indies, Maphaka claimed a five-wicket haul and was named Player of the Match.
  • He also took five wickets against Zimbabwe and six wickets against Sri Lanka in the Super Six stage.
  • Maphaka set a new record by taking three five-wicket hauls, the most by any player in a single Under-19 World Cup tournament.
  • In the semi-final against India, he took 3 wickets, although South Africa lost the match.
  • He finished the tournament with 21 wickets, the second most in the tournament, with an average of 9.71.
  • December 2023: Maphaka was named in South Africa's squad for the 2024 Under-19 World Cup.
• 2024:
  • Maphaka's 28 wickets in two Under-19 World Cups (2022 and 2024) make him equal to Wesley Madhevere of Zimbabwe for the most wickets in Under-19 World Cup history.

Leagues Participation

Kwena Maphaka has taken part in some of the biggest franchise leagues in cricket. His journey in these leagues shows his growing skills and talent in the game.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Kwena Maphaka joined the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2024, playing for Mumbai Indians as a replacement for the injured Dilshan Madushanka. He traveled quickly from his studies in South Africa to join Mumbai's pre-season camp. Maphaka made his debut for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2024.

In the 2025 IPL Auction, Rajasthan Royals signed Maphaka for Rs. 1.50 crore. Although his appearances were limited, he impressed the coaching staff, finishing the season with an improved economy rate of 10.80 compared to his debut year.

For the 2026 season, Rajasthan Royals officially retained Maphaka for INR 1.50 crore. He enters the 19th edition of the IPL in peak physical condition following the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he represented South Africa and claimed 2 wickets with an impressive economy of 6.38.

Year	Team	Auction Price	Role	Debut Match
2024	Mumbai Indians	N/A	Fast Bowler	Debuted vs SRH
2025	Rajasthan Royals	Rs. 1.50 crore	Fast Bowler	Played as a tactical pace option
2026	Rajasthan Royals	Rs. 1.50 crore	Fast Bowler	Retained

SA20

In 2023, Maphaka signed with Paarl Royals for the 2024 SA20 season. He could not play due to his commitment with the Under-19 World Cup but was retained by the franchise for the 2025 season. Maphaka has also played for South Africa A and started his domestic cricket career with the Lions. He plans to focus more on cricket after completing his schooling, but he is also interested in studying sports management or sports psychology.

Year	Team	Contract Status	Role	Reason for Absence
2024	Paarl Royals	Contracted	Fast Bowler	Unable to play (WC)
2025	Paarl Royals	Retained	Fast Bowler	Upcoming Season

Domestic career

Kwena Maphaka started his domestic career with the South Africa Emerging Players team in the 2023 CSA One-Day Cup. He debuted on 6 October 2023, taking 3 wickets in a match against Limpopo. In the division 2 final against Free State Knights, Maphaka struggled and gave up 65 runs without taking any wickets.

In August 2023, Maphaka signed with Paarl Royals for the 2024 SA20 season but missed the tournament to compete in the Under-19 World Cup. He was kept by Paarl Royals for the 2025 season.

In March 2024, Maphaka joined the Lions squad in South Africa's Division 1. He debuted in the CSA T20 Challenge against Boland. Later that month, he replaced Dilshan Madushanka in Mumbai Indians' squad for the 2024 IPL. Maphaka became the youngest South African and third youngest overseas player to play in the IPL.

Records and achievements

Kwena Maphaka has reached some significant milestones in his career:

Awards:

• Player of the Tournament at the 2024 ICC U19 Cricket World Cup.

Records:

• At the 2024 ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, Maphaka became the first player to take three five-wicket hauls in a single tournament. He also finished with the second-highest number of wickets in the competition.
• On 19 December 2024, he became the youngest South African to debut in an ODI, taking 4/72 against Pakistan.
• Maphaka debuted in T20I on 23 August 2024, recording figures of 1/25 in 3.5 overs.
• In 2024, he was named the Player of the Tournament at the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup.

Personal life

Kwena Maphaka, a rising star in South African cricket, has started making waves in the cricket world. He has gained attention for his achievements on the field and the strong family support behind him. Here’s a closer look at his personal life, including his family, finances, relationships, and public image.

Family

Kwena Maphaka was born on 8 April 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa. His father, Mabo Maphaka, works as a director at Martins Martins Limited, and his mother, Raisibe Maphaka, is also a director there. His older brother, Tetelo Mfaka, plays cricket too. Growing up in a family with a sports background, Kwena always had the support he needed to pursue his cricket career.

As a child, Kwena often played sports with his brother, who was passionate about cricket. This led Kwena to practice his bowling skills by bowling to his brother, which helped him improve over time.

Kwena is not married and has no known romantic relationships. Right now, he is focusing on his cricket and studies.

Finances

Kwena Maphaka’s net worth is around $1 million. Most of his wealth comes from his cricket career.

Cars and House

There is no information available about Kwena’s cars or house. He is young and likely has much to achieve in the future.

Scandals

In March 2024, a video of Kwena went viral. The video showed him answering a question from his mother about how he would balance his studies with playing cricket. He calmly said he would manage by doing extra lessons and working hard.

Kwena's debut in the 2024 IPL didn’t go as planned. He gave up 66 runs in 4 overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad. South African cricket legend Dale Steyn commented on the match, saying it was a tough lesson for Kwena in his transition to professional cricket. Steyn later posted a message on social media, encouraging Kwena to stay confident and keep learning.

Fans

Kwena Maphaka has gained a lot of support from fans, especially after his impressive performance at the 2024 U19 World Cup. Many fans took to social media to praise his achievements. On 28 March 2024, Twitter users called him a rising star in South African cricket.

However, some media outlets, like The Citizen in February 2024, advised fans to be patient with Kwena. They pointed out that he is still in high school and shouldn’t be pressured with unrealistic expectations at such a young age.

Kwena’s social media following is still growing. He has around 27,000 followers on Instagram.