Kwena Maphaka's injury concerns give South Africa headache ahead of India tour
South Africa’s pace sensation Kwena Maphaka is under medical observation after suffering a hamstring injury in a recent domestic match. The 19-year-old fast bowler, who was recently named in South Africa’s T20I squad to face Namibia and selected for the upcoming white-ball series in Pakistan, experienced discomfort while playing for the Lions in a four-day match against Western Province at Newlands.
Maphaka managed just 5.5 overs in the first innings before leaving the field with the injury. A subsequent scan revealed no serious damage, and he returned in the second innings to lead his team’s bowling attack. Delivering a standout performance, he claimed figures of 3 for 26 in 10 overs, playing a key role in the Lions' emphatic innings-and-134-run win. Despite the promising recovery, he is scheduled to undergo a precautionary MRI to confirm his fitness ahead of a packed international calendar.
The Johannesburg-born is expected to feature prominently in South Africa’s upcoming assignments over the next few months, including the white-ball tour of Pakistan and a high-profile tour of India. However, concerns have been raised within the cricketing setup about balancing his international workload with further development in domestic red-ball cricket. With only six first-class appearances to his name, including two Tests, team management may opt to manage his schedule carefully to avoid overexposure at the international level.
Maphaka has already represented South Africa in three ODIs and 13 T20Is and was recently picked by the Durban's Super Giants for the upcoming SA20 season.
South Africa tour of Namibia
Meanwhile, South Africa’s second-string T20I side is set to play a one-off match against Namibia in Windhoek on October 11, marking the opening of a new cricket stadium. The stadium will also host ODI World Cup matches in 2027.
With several first-choice players, including Aiden Markram, unavailable due to Test commitments in Pakistan, Donovan Ferreira will captain the side. The match also marks the return of Quinton de Kock to international cricket, following his reversal of ODI retirement last month.
