Young talent Kwena Maphaka, who is 18 years and 255 days old, made her debut as South Africa’s youngest ODI player. In the current three-match series against Pakistan, the left-arm speedster was included in the playing XI for the second One-Day International. This follows his August debut for the Proteas, where he also became the youngest player to play in T20I.
When the U-19 World Cup was held in 2024, the emerging star from South Africa became well-known. Because he took the most wickets in a single edition of the prestigious tournament—21 in six games—he was crowned Player of the Tournament. Even though his team lost in the home semifinals, he was a source of encouragement for the youthful team.
As of this writing, Kwena Maphaka has bowled seven overs and recorded stats of 2/41 over that time.
He needed some time to settle into his rhythm. Maphaka dismissed the in-form Saim Ayub in his fifth over, his first ODI dismissal. Outside off-stump to third man, Rassie van der Dussen held onto the catch after the Pakistani southpaw could only top edge the quick delivery.
Maphaka’s celebration of the wicket was a clear indication of his understandable excitement. As soon as he let out a loud scream and punched the air in ecstasy, his teammates surrounded him. He hit Mohammad Rizwan with a well-directed bouncer on the body after two deliveries. The captain was left confused on the deck as the ball thudded onto his helmet due to his delayed reaction. He was later removed by Maphaka, who caught the ball in his follow through in the 36th over.
Below is the list of the youngest South African debutants:
| Player | Debut Date | Age | Format |
| Kwena Maphaka | August 23, 2024 | 18 years, 135 days | T20I |
| Kwena Maphaka | December 19, 2024 | 18 years, 255 days | ODI |
| Victor Mpitsang | February 5, 1999 | 18 years, 282 days | ODI |
| Paul Adams | December 26, 1995 | 18 years, 341 days | Test |
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