‘An aura you can’t describe’: Ntini says Maphaka can lead Proteas’ attack for next decade

Kwena Maphaka may still be in high school but fast bowling legend Makhaya Ntini believes he has passed all the cricket examinations needed to lead the Proteas bowling attack in the next decade.

From opening the bowling alongside Kagiso Rabada for the Central Gauteng Lions to taking the new ball for Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and then his South Africa debut on the T20 tour of West Indies in August, Maphaka's introduction to top-level cricket has been eye-catching. 

Ntini has witnessed many fine fast bowling exponents during his career and before through the 1980s to the 2020s, but he says Maphaka, 18, who is completing his matric this year, is something special.

“He has an aura you can’t describe,” Ntini said.

He said no player had made as big an impact as Kagiso Rabada did in 2014 when he led the South Africa U-19 team to a world title. That is until now, and Maphaka is well on his way to becoming another star.

Witnessing the left-arm bowler’s combination of maturity and incredible talent up close when he plied his trade was always astonishing, the “Mdingi Express” said.

Since being the standout performer at the U-19 World Cup in February, Maphaka has progressed to being selected for the Proteas, signing an IPL deal with Mumbai Indians and becoming the main bowler for the Lions.

He claimed 13 wickets in the T20 Challenge to help the Lions beat the Titans and win the trophy on Sunday. Maphaka finished as joint leading wicket-taker with teammate Junaid Dawood.

Ntini’s former teammate, Allan Donald, who has been Maphaka’s mentor at the Lions this season, said the youngster had worn the label of “next-generation star of South African cricket” for two years, but his status had been elevated in 2024.

Ntini agrees. He said the next box to tick was for Maphaka to lead the Proteas bowling attack and take over from Rabada, who is 29 and heading towards the back end of his cricket career.

“If you look at how he [Maphaka] has been playing at provincial level, it has been impressive because he spearheaded the attack and did a good job,” Ntini said.

“We hardly produce good left-arm fast bowlers in South Africa. He is one of the few who you could say will be at the level of the likes of Lonwabo Tsotsobe and be at the forefront, wearing the baggy green.”

Maphaka faced a baptism of fire in his IPL introduction in April when he was still just 17. He conceded 66 runs in four overs in his debut against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. In his second match against the Rajasthan Royals he notched his first IPL wicket but conceded 23 runs in two overs. Former Proteas quick Vernon Philander felt Mumbai and their coach, Mark Boucher, could have brought Maphaka along with better care.

“It’s very tough to throw him to the wolves like that. They should manage him a bit better than that,” Philander told Rapport newspaper at the time.

“The question is whether you are doing him justice by having him bowl in his first game against some of the greatest batsmen in the world. Is it worth it? Hopefully that baptism of fire didn’t break him mentally.”

Maphaka's progression continued at pace, though. At 18 years and 137 days old, he became the youngest Proteas debutant in Trinidad in August. He played in all three matches of the T20 series against West Indies, taking a wicket, scoring some runs and holding a catch.

South Africa lost a forgettable series 3-0, but Maphaka's introduction to senior international cricket was the major feature of the tour.

Ntini is not alone in expecting a big future for the teen.