18-year-old Kwena Maphaka, a fast bowler for the South Africa National Cricket Team, is living his dream by playing in the second Test against Pakistan. The match, which is the final game of the two-Test series, is being held at Newlands in Cape Town.
Kwena Maphaka Made A Dream Test Debut
Kwena Maphaka, playing his first match for the South Africa National Cricket Team, has been bowling well. The young fast bowler has delivered challenging balls and made things difficult for the Pakistan batters in the game.
Maphaka’s bowling was so good that it seemed inevitable he’d get his first Test wicket. The young fast bowler had a dream start to his career, dismissing Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam to claim his maiden wicket in Test cricket.
Maphaka, bowling at a steady 140 km/h, delivered a length ball angling in from outside the leg stump that stayed low. Babar Azam tried to glance at it but ended up nicking it behind. Keeper Verreynne dived low to catch it, giving Maphaka his first-ever wicket.
Crowd and Teammates Celebrate Maphaka’s Milestone
Although it wasn’t the best delivery, Maphaka was thrilled and celebrated with a big smile on his face. His teammates cheered for him, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation for taking the wicket.
Watch the video:
Encouraging to see 18 year old Kwena Maphaka getting his first test wicket on debut. His first test scalp was the dangerous Pakistani batter Babar Azam. pic.twitter.com/kAwpIl6e1k
— Ratombo 🇿🇦 (@stoneman_o) January 5, 2025
By taking Babar Azam’s wicket, Kwena Maphaka became the youngest South African to take a Test wicket. The young fast bowler has now dismissed the Pakistan star in all three formats of cricket early in his career.
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Pakistan’s Batting Struggles in the Ongoing Test
Babar Azam looked solid with the bat during the ongoing test match. The right-hander seemed set for a big century but was dismissed unlucky. He scored his second half-century of the series, showing signs of returning to form in style.
Babar was out after scoring 58 runs from 127 balls, hitting 7 boundaries. With Saim Ayub unavailable, Babar opened the innings and did a great job for his team, but he got little support from the other end.
Mohammad Rizwan was the only batter who looked settled, scoring 46 runs before getting out. Pakistan was struggling at 155/6, and with their current batting performance, they are at risk of facing a follow-on.
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