Maphaka five-wicket haul stuns Afghanistan as SA U19 reach tri-series final

A brilliant five-wicket haul by Kwena Maphaka bowled South Africa Under-19 into the tri-series final after they overcame Afghanistan by five wickets in their latest outing at Old Edwardians Cricket Club in Johannesburg on Monday.

The 17-year-old Lions sensation sent down nine overs, two of which were maidens, and claimed five for a miserly 25 to help blow away the visitors for 139 in 45 overs.

He was ably aided by Nqobani Mokoena (3-43), before the junior Proteas knocked off the runs with nearly 25 overs to spare – securing a big win and big boost to their net run rate as they moved ahead of Afghanistan to qualify for Wednesday’s final.

It was also a first win of the competition for Malibongwe Maketa’s side after they lost their previous encounter with the same opponents and also fell to consecutive defeats to unbeaten India.

They will now take plenty of heart and confidence going into the decider against the log leaders as the teams wind down preparation for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 that begins in Bloemfontein and Potchefstroom on 19 January.

The South Africans were good from the get-go in their latest outing, winning the toss, bowling first and striking in the first over when Maphaka had Hassan Eisakhil caught behind for four from the fourth delivery.

Mokoena then removed Jamshid Zadran (6) the same way in the second over, before Usman Khan Shinwari (1) fell to speedster Maphaka in the third over leaving the score on 13 for three.

After no wickets fell in the fourth over, Sohail Khan Zurmati had his stumps flattened by Maphaka in the fifth to put SA well on top.

Afghanistan captain Numan Shah finally arrested the slide and put on 61 with Rahimullah Zurmati for the fifth wicket with both batters hitting patient 35s to take the score up to 86 for four.

But Juan James (1/17) finally broke the stand in the 24th over and the rest of the innings then ambled to a close with wickets falling regularly as the away side was dismissed with five overs to spare.

Steve Stolk’s aggressive 40 off 21 balls at the start of the chase – an innings that included four sixes and two fours – put the hosts in the ascendancy early on.

They progressed nicely to 69 for one after the early loss of Lhuan-dre Pretorius (11).

And despite then losing four more wickets in Stolk, captain David Teeger (13), Richard Seletswane (8) and Dewan Marais (2) to slip to 95 for five, Oliver Whitehead (33*) and Riley Norton (17*) strung together a 45-run stand to take them home in 25.4 overs.

South Africa are drawn in Group B for the World Cup, alongside England, Scotland and West Indies, who they begin their campaign against at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on 19 January.