Teenage prodigy Kwena Maphaka named in South Africa’s T20 squad for West Indies series
The HinduTeenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka and all-rounder Jason Smith have been called up to South Africa’s Twenty20 squad for the first time for a three-match series in the West Indies, Cricket South Africa announced on Wednesday. The 18-year-old Maphaka was named player of the tournament at this year’s under-19 World Cup in South Africa and later landed a contract in the Indian Premier League while hard-hitting middle-order batter Smith impressed with both his batting and bowling in domestic T20 competition. The 15-man South African side returns to the Caribbean after finishing runner-up to India at the T20 World Cup in June but with a changed squad that is without several key players. “Several players were not considered for this series due to either injury, being in a conditioning block that is related to workload management, or their participation in ongoing T20 leagues,” said coach Rob Walter.