Sports
ICC Men’s Under-19 WC: South Africa’s Kwena Maphaka, bowling prodigy destined for bigger things
Benoni (South Africa), Feb 5 (IANS) South Africa’s Kwena Maphaka needed just two balls to seal his presence at the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup 2024. After his second delivery in the tournament, he bowled a scorching, swinging yorker that left West Indies opener Adrian Weir reeling.
What followed was an animated punch in the air and a huge celebration, quite a contrast to the very mild one he had planned with his older brother Tetelo. For a few seconds, Maphaka was caught in the moment, the rush of adrenaline overtaking him. He would end the day with a five-wicket haul, a feat he would achieve twice more in the coming weeks.
“That [spell against West Indies] it is probably the closest to my heart,” Maphaka told ICC.
“I just try to put in a good performance every game but the West Indies game was the most memorable for me. It was the first game of the tournament, a lot of nerves, a World Cup at home, I thought my spell helped us to start the tournament very well… set the tone”
The tone was set the moment Maphaka’s sharp inswinger hit Weir’s boots. It was the culmination of what Maphaka considers the perfect plan: get the new ball as high as it can and surprise the batsman.
Maphaka loves the inswinger. After his last Super Six match, the South African teenager, who had brazenly said he expected him to be better than Jasprit Bumrah, saw the Indian quick’s unplayable wages in Ollie Pope in the Test series in India.
“I think they ripped out all three of his stumps. It’s amazing,” Maphaka said. The inswinger, he reveals, is also his biggest weapon. It’s his core delivery with a new ball, one he mastered alongside Shukri Conrad, the team’s current coach of South Africa Tests.
Conrad’s first glimpse of Maphaka came at Under-15 level when he was stunned by the left-arm pacer who spun the ball at lightning speed. When Conrad became the head coach of South Africa’s under-19 team ahead of the previous edition of the men’s under-19 CWC, Maphaka was called into the set-up. Under Conrad’s watchful eye, the young tearaway perfected his sharp inswinger.
At the age of 16, Maphaka was brought to the West Indies event in 2022, more to help him gain experience in the environment and make him the new-ball force that would lead the attack in the next edition.
However, he ended up playing and making quite an impression. In the current tournament, he has flourished, his rapid development into one of the best fast bowlers in the competition a talking point around the cricketing world.
This is not new for Maphaka, however. He was always way ahead of his peer group in cricket. “My parents tell me I picked up a cricket ball when I was two years old, playing garden cricket with my brother,” he says.
“There were many challenges in taking up cricket as a profession at such an early age. There is the pressure of studies at school, the lure of other sports. I would also play hockey, rugby, tennis and athletics…but cricket is something I really enjoy and my passion for the sport just got me through all the obstacles, distractions and other pitfalls.”
As a youngster, Maphaka was all about rhythm. As he progressed, he acquired the finer skills of pace bowling, including his signature inswinger and unplayable yorkers.
However, Maphaka maintains that his best quality is aggression, something that is also characteristic of Kagiso Rabada. Rabada and Maphaka went through the same school, St Stithians, and the duo possess very similar attributes.
“This [aggression] it’s something that comes very naturally to me,” says Maphaka. “I’m a very competitive person at heart. I think that’s my biggest attribute. But to be compared to someone like KG [Rabada] it’s humiliating
“KG is an inspiration to a lot of people in South Africa and outside, the way he’s done cricket, the work he’s done from such a young age. It’s something I’m trying to keep in mind.”
As the young left-armer quickly faces the big semi-final against India, it’s hard not to draw parallels with Rabada’s all-time great performance in the 2014 edition of this tournament, at the same stage ago a decade
In the semi-finals of the 2014 edition in the United Arab Emirates, Rabada bowled Australia out for 150, with a six-wicket haul that would put his team in the final. It is a match that Maphaka remembers very well.
“His performance in the U19 World Cup, especially against Australia in the semi-finals where he took a six-wicket haul, has inspired me a lot to continue and do a great performance for my team in the big one as well games.”
Maphaka knows he is one of the best players in the tournament. He tops the wickets table with 18 at an average of 9.55, including three five-wicket hauls, a feat not achieved by any other player in the history of the tournament.
“I know I’m up there with some of the best bowlers in the tournament,” he says. “Saumy Pandey from India, Callum Vidler from Australia, they’ve played really well. I wouldn’t say I’m the best, but I’m up there.”
Maphaka is keen to point out that South Africa have had quite a few match-winners so far in the tournament.
From Steve Stolk to Dewan Marais, Tristan Luus, Riley Norton and Maphaka himself, South Africa have had a number of individuals making their mark. “It’s good for us that we didn’t have just one [player] perform in the tournament,” says Maphaka. “We’ve had different guys contributing. It means you can come in any day and put in a big performance. That’s what we really need in the semis.”
WARNING FOR INDIA
India will know that Maphaka is not an easy bowler to face, especially with passionate fans cheering him on from the stands. The crowd support in South Africa has been immense at the MCWC U19. “They [fans] they’ve come out in numbers to support us every day, even on weekdays when the kids have school and the parents have work,” says Maphaka. “They’ve always turned up. And they’ll be there in large numbers at the semi-finals in Benoni” .
The prospect of reaching the final is a huge motivation for Maphaka as the semi-final looms. With fans rooting for his every move, belief is high. “For the whole country to support again would be really crazy,” he says. “The atmosphere is very different, you know [when the crowd’s behind you]. It’s something that pushes me.
“Playing away and being in a final can be special, but being at home, with the people you know. They love you, they support you, they helped you get to where you are right now. There’s something different about it.”
India and South Africa are yet to meet in the ongoing tournament, but the teams have history. They faced each other in a couple of matches before the tri-series tournament in South Africa, where India beat them both times.
Will it be easier for the Indian batsmen to face Maphaka, having played with him recently? The fast bowler has a clear answer. “Usually the more you face someone, the more comfortable they will be, but I will make it as uncomfortable as possible for the Indian batsmen in the semi-finals,” Maphaka emphatically states.
It is an ominous warning for the reigning champions.
— IANS
bsk/
Bengaluru, Aug 22 (IANS) Shivamogga Lions’ woes continued as they suffered a 28-run defeat to the Mysore Warriors in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.
Mysore Warriors delivered a well-rounded performance, anchored by Karun Nair’s (45) swift knock, supported by a few other good contributions in the middle order, and highlighted by late-innings fireworks from J Suchith (22*) and Manoj Bhandage (23).
On the bowling front, Vidyadhar Patil (3/29) and Karthik CA (3/31) played crucial roles in restricting the Shivamogga Lions. Sharath HS’ (4/29) lethal spell with the ball and valiant efforts from Abhinav Manohar (46) and Nihal Ullal (46) with the bat couldn’t turn the tide in Shivamogga’s favour.
Chasing 180, Shivamogga Lions got off to a disastrous start, with Vidyadhar Patil’s lethal first over leading to the dismissals of Mohith Bangalore (2) and Dheeraj Mohan (0) in consecutive deliveries. Skipper Nihal Ullal (46) managed to crack a few early boundaries, but Hardik Raj (17) was also removed by Krishnappa Gowtham, leaving the Lions reeling at 41/3 by the end of the powerplay.
K Gowtham then engineered the run out of Rohan Naveen (11), further denting the chase. The in-form Abhinav Manohar (Impact Player) joined Ullal, and the duo breathed life into the innings, putting together a 70-run partnership in just 43 balls.
However, Ullal fell short of his first half-century of the season, leaving the Shivamogga Lions at 123/5 in 15.1 overs. Manohar also narrowly missed his milestone, holing out to K Gowtham off Karthik CA. Manohar’s 26-ball knock included four sixes and three fours, adding valuable runs to the total.
Karthik CA struck again two deliveries later, dismissing Shivraj S and leaving the Lions in deep trouble. With 47 runs needed from the final 18 balls, Ashok D tried to keep the chase alive by smashing a six and a four off Vidyadhar Patil, but perished in the same over, effectively ending Shivamogga’s prospects. Shivamogga Lions finished at 151/9 in 20 overs, enduring their sixth consecutive loss.
Batting first, Mysore Warriors faced an early challenge as Sharath HS unleashed a menacing spell. He struck in the powerplay, dismissing Karthik SU (8), and then returned in the seventh over to remove CA Karthik (30), who smashed three sixes in a 34-run stand with Karun Nair (45) and Harshil Dharmani (0).
Nair continued in fine touch and peppered the boundary with six fours and two sixes during his 23-ball stay before falling to Ashok D in the 11th over.
Kishan Bedare (17) steered the innings, forming a 28-run partnership with Nair and adding another 29 runs with Sumit Kumar (28) before being caught and bowled by Bharath Dhuri, leaving the Warriors at 116/5 in 16.1 overs. The depth of Mysore’s batting lineup came to the fore as Manoj Bhandage and J Suchith launched a late assault.
Vasuki Koushik, tasked with the 18th over, began with a six and a four from Sumit Kumar. Bhandage then took charge, hammering three consecutive sixes off Koushik in the same over before falling as Sharath’s fourth wicket in the 19th ending a blistering 23-run cameo off just seven balls. J Suchith, carried on the momentum, smashing two sixes and a four in an 8-ball flurry, pushing the Mysore Warriors to a competitive 179/7 in their 20 overs.
Brief scores: Mysore Warriors 179 for 7 in 20 overs (Karthik CA 30, Karun Nair 45, Sumit Kumar 28; Sharath HS 4-29) beat Shivamogga Lions 151/9 in 20 overs (Nihal Ullal 46, Abhinav Manohar 46 runs; Vidyadhar Patil 3-29, Karthik CA 3-31) by 28 runs.
–IANS
ab/
Castle Rock (Colorado), Aug 22 (IANS) Indian Americans Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia who failed to make it to the Top-10 last week at the St Jude Championships, the first of the three Play-offs events, will be looking for a better showing as they move towards the finale at the Tour Championships after that.
Last week Hideki Matsuyama, after leading by five at one time, had to birdie the last two holes to win the St Jude Championships. He became the first Asian to win a Play-off event and it was his 10th PGA Tour win, the highest from the continent.
Last week Bhatia was T-12, Rai was T-16 and Theegala was way behind in T-46, but all three have entered the second of the three Play-offs events.
World No, 2 Xander Schauffele, a two-time Major winner in 2024, was tied second last week with Viktor Hovland, while World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was fourth last week, though World No. 3 Rory McIlroy had a poor week in T-68 place.
Among Asians Korea’s Si Woo Kim has all to play for at the BMW Championship, the second of three FedExCup Playoffs events, in Colorado this week, with two big goals providing the drive for him to step up his game.
The four-time PGA TOUR winner tees up at Castle Pines Golf Club with the intention of breaking into the top-30 of the FedExCup points list and qualify for the Playoffs Finale, the TOUR Championship next week. Kim is presently ranked 44th after last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship.
A strong week is also required for Kim to keep alive his hopes of earning a spot in the International Team to face the U.S. Team in the Presidents Cup in Royal Montreal next month. Currently 14th on the team roster, the top-6 after this week’s BMW Championship will secure automatic spots, with captain Mike Weir naming six more picks after the TOUR Championship.
Compatriots Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, who are 10th and 15th respectively on the FedExCup rankings, are virtually assured of teeing up at the TOUR Championship, which will use a staggered-scoring format based on positions after this week.
Irrespective of how his week plays out, Kim is pleased to secure his top-50 status, which guarantees starts in all eight Signature tournaments next season.
–IANS
hs/
New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The packed schedule of men’s county cricket in 2025 will remain largely unchanged, despite concerns raised by the majority of players over the impact on their physical well-being.
According to a survey conducted by the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) earlier this season, more than 80 per cent of players expressed fears that the current schedule is too demanding and poses risks to their health.
However, despite these concerns, the 2025 schedule is set to continue as usual. Each county will still compete in a minimum of 14 County Championship matches, eight Metro Bank Cup fixtures, and 14 Vitality T20 Blast games. The changes for next season will be largely cosmetic, offering little relief for players concerned about the gruelling calendar.
The PCA has been advocating for adjustments that would spread out the T20 fixtures across the week, aiming to reduce tight turnarounds and introduce more consistent three-day breaks between Championship games.
“There’s definitely room for improvement in 2025 compared to 2024,” said Daryl Mitchell, the PCA’s interim chief executive, in an interview with ESPNcricinfo. “The schedule can definitely be managed better. Certainly, the Blast was very much looked at through a commercial lens, trying to squeeze as many games as possible into Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Utilizing the majority of the week is probably the way forward, trying to spread them out to give that time for recovery, travel, and preparation.”
The T20 Blast, in particular, has been the main point of debate when it comes to scheduling. The timing of the knockout stages has been a significant concern. In 2023, these stages were held immediately after the group matches in July, allowing counties to retain their overseas players. This year, however, the knockout stages will be pushed to September, giving clubs an extended six-week window to market and sell tickets for home quarter-finals.
While these adjustments offer slight improvements, the overall schedule remains packed, leaving many players apprehensive about how much more they can push themselves physically in the long term. Despite the calls for change, it appears that any significant reduction in the number of fixtures is unlikely in the future, with commercial considerations still driving much of the decision-making process around county cricket.
–IANS
hs/
New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) After ending his T20I career with an elusive T20 World Cup title in Barbados, captain Rohit Sharma revealed that it was his dream to transform the team without thinking too much about the results.
Rohit-led Indian team ended the decade-long ICC title drought after beating South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 to lift their second title in the format. In 2023, the Men in Blue failed to win the World Test Championship and 2023 ODI World Cup under Rohit’s leadership after losing to Australia in the finals.
The swashbuckling opening batter also credited the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, former head coach Rahul Dravid and chief selector Ajit Agarkar for their support in transforming the team and creating a fearless culture in the squad.
“It was my dream to transform this team and not worry too much about stats and results and also to make sure that we create an environment where people can go out and play freely, without thinking too much. I got a lot of help from my three pillars Jay Shah, Rahul Dravid and chairman of selector Ajit Agarkar. That was critical for me to do what I did. Obviously, not to forget players who came in at different points in time and helped the team to achieve what we have achieved today,” Rohit said in a video posted by BCCI on X.
On Wednesday, Rohit was awarded ‘Men’s International Cricketer of the Year’ while Dravid was accorded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at Ceat Cricket Rating Awards 2023-24 in Mumbai. India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli was named the ‘Men’s ODI Batter of the Year’ while on the bowling front, Mohammed Shami was awarded the ‘ODI Bowler of the Year’.
The 37-year-old batter finished as the second-highest run-getter in the T20 World Cup with 257 runs including three half-centuries and at a strike rate of 156.70. He played a major role in providing solid starts for the team on the slow pitches of the USA and the West Indies.
After lifting the title, Rohit joined Kohli to announce his retirement from the T20I. With 4,231 runs, Rohit is the leading run-getter in the format behind his teammate Kohli (4188 runs). Both batters will continue to play the other formats of the game. The duo last featured for India in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
–IANS
ab/
Gotemba (Japan), Aug 22 (IANS) A year after being the youngest ever to make the cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Kartik Singh, now 14 years of age, is the highest ranked among the four Indians set to take part in the 15th AAC to be held in Japan.
As of date Kartik is the highest ranked Indian at 199 while the other three players to have received the invitation for this prestigious event are Krishnav Nikhil Chopra and Vedant Sirohi, both past participants in the event and Rakshit Dahiya will be in the four-player team.
Kartik Singh has also been named to the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup team. A regular winner in junior and amateur events, Kartik will spearhead the Indian challenge.
Apart from India’s Kartik Singh, there are seven others named to the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup International Team. They are Joshua Bai, Warut Boonrod, Xihuan Chang, Rayhan Latief, Khanh Hung Le, Thangwin Lee, Anh Minh Ngyuyen,
As many as 113 players have been confirmed for the Championship, which will be held October 3-6, 2024, at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba in Gotemba, Japan. A full list of confirmed players can be found. The field will be 120 with a few more names to be added by the Organisers.
India’s best ever placing has been second place by Rayhan Thomas, who was runner-up in Sentosa, Singapore in 2018. The Dubai-based Indian Rayhan has since turned professional, and last week won his first pro title on India’s Professional Tour of India Tour.
Krishnav, who plays college golf in the US, is the son of former India cricketer turned commentator, Nikhil Chopraa, who often takes the role of a caddie for his son.
Created in 2009, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was established by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A and the Masters Tournament to further develop amateur golf in the Asia-Pacific region.
The champion will receive an invitation to compete in the 2025 Masters Tournament and The 153rd Open, while the runner(s)-up will gain a place in Final Qualifying for The Open.
The confirmed list which has players from 38 APGC member organizations is highlighted by defending champion Jasper Stubbs of Australia and four players representing China inside the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking: Wenyi Ding (No. 4), Xihuan Chang (No. 36), Xiangyun Bai (No. 61) and Paul Chang (No. 97).
Ding finished runner-up to Stubbs in the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur while Xihuan Chang reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Junior Amateur in July.
Other top-100 participants include Vietnam’s Anh Minh Nguyen (No. 68) and Japan’s Rintaro Nakano (No. 78).
Notable past competitors include 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith. Over the Championship’s 14-year history, the Championship has served as a springboard to some of the world’s top players, including Matsuyama, Smith, Cameron Davis, Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim, Satoshi Kodaira, Kyoung-Hoon Lee, Min Woo Lee, Keita Nakajima and C.T. Pan. Collectively, alumni of the Asia-Pacific Amateur have gone on to win 27 tournaments on the PGA Tour to date and more than 130 across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.
As the host nation, Japan will lead the list of up to 43 APGC member nations represented with 10 players in this year’s field. A player from Japan has won four of the 14 editions of the Championship (Matsuyama/2010, 2011; Takumi Kanaya/2018; Nakajima/2021).
–IANS
hs/
Defence Ministry: Year 2025 will be year of reforms- A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning
- Diljit Dosanjh faces legal action over concert songs
- UP Minister’s convoy overturns, 5 person injured
- Suchir Balaji’s mother alleges Murder
- Rupee weakened by 5 paise to 85.69 against the US dollar
- Huge ammunition and arm seized in Manipur
- Pushpa 2 earns RS 1085 CR in pre-release collection
- BJP opposes Nawab Malik’s candidacy
- Lee Hsien Yang seeks refuge in United Kingdom
-
Video2 years agoPM Modi Attacks Congress in Karnataka with “Kerala Story”
-
Politics2 years ago
Siddaramaiah & DK Shivakumar sworn in as Chief Minister & Deputy CM respectively
-
Cricket2 years ago
CSK players rejoice 5th IPL title with their families (Pics)
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Karan Deol weds his longtime Girlfriend Drisha Acharya (Pics)
-
Sports7 years agoHistory Of Official FIFA WORLD CUP Match balls
-
India2 years ago
Ashwini Vaishnaw: Railway Board recommends CBI probe in the Odisha railway disaster
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Urvashi Rautela dazzles on Cannes 2023 red carpet (Pics)
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Sunny Leone gets ready for Kennedy premiere in Cannes (Pics)
