FILE - Proteas teenage fast-bowling sensation Kwena Maphaka will make his Test debut against Pakistan in the New Year's Test in Cape Town, which starts on Friday.
Image: Marco Longari / AFP
Teenage sensation Kwena Maphaka will make his much-anticipated Proteas Test debut in the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands in Cape Town starting on Friday.
Captain Temba Bavuma announced three changes to the Proteas starting team, with Maphaka replacing fellow seamer Dane Paterson in the side. All-rounder Wiaan Mulder and premier spinner Keshav Maharaj also return to the team after missing the first Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion because of injury.
Maharaj essentially replaces opener Tony de Zorzi, who has been ruled out of the New Year's Test due to a left thigh strain. He sustained the injury while fielding on day three of the first Test at SuperSport Park, and subsequent scans have revealed the extent of the injury.
Left-hander Ryan Rickelton, who scored a century against Sri Lanka in the previous series, is set to move up the order from No 3 to open the batting alongside Aiden Markram.
Mulder, who was in sensational form with ball and the bat before sustaining a hand injury in the first Test against Sri Lanka, comes in for Corbin Bosch, who himself produced a dazzling display on debut in Centurion with a four-wicket haul and an unbeaten 81.
Maphaka, who made his Proteas debut in the T20 matches in the West Indies in August 2024 while still in the school benches, gave Pakistan a taste of what's to come over the next week when he bowled deliveries of over 150km/h in the recent white-ball series between the two teams.
Maphaka has only played three First-Class matches after making his debut for the South African A side against their Sri Lankan counterparts in Sri Lanka in 2023. However, Proteas captain Temba Bavuma is backing the youngster to step up in the festive occasion at Newlands.
"Kwena's selection is about his potential more than anything. He has shown his talent and he possesses that extra bit of pace, which we wanted to go with," Bavuma said ahead of the Test.
"Unfortunately Dane Paterson, who has been superb for us, misses out.
"But we are quite excited for Kwena. There is a series on the line and we wanted to give a youngster a chance when there is something to play for. I'm sure he will be looking forward to running in with KG (Kagiso Rabada) over the next few days."
Proteas team for Newlands:
Aiden Markam, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wicket-keeper), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka.
@JohnGoliath82