Fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, who represents Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, has been named in the South African cricket team’s 16-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting September 24.
The 20-year-old left-arm pacer is part of a strong South African pace contingent that also includes Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Gerald Coetzee, alongside all-rounders Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch.
Temba Bavuma returns to captain the Proteas in the series, having last featured in an ODI against India in December 2025.
Maphaka has played three ODIs for South Africa so far, taking five wickets with best bowling figures of 4/72, which came on his international debut in the format against Pakistan in Cape Town in December 2024.
Aged 18 years and 255 days at the time, Maphaka became South Africa’s youngest-ever ODI debutant. His four-wicket haul also made him the youngest South African to claim four wickets in an ODI, surpassing Wayne Parnell’s previous mark.
The young Royal has already enjoyed success against Australia at the international level. Maphaka finished as the leading wicket-taker in a three-match T20I series Down Under in August 2025, claiming nine wickets.
His haul included career-best figures of 4/20 in the opening T20I, making him the youngest bowler from a Full Member nation to take four wickets in a men’s T20 international.
Maphaka was also part of the South African squad for the recent tour of Namibia, which included a T20I tri-series featuring Zimbabwe.
The youngster retained his Cricket South Africa central contract earlier this year after establishing himself across formats for the Proteas.
South Africa will take on Australia in the opening ODI in Durban on September 24 before the series moves to Johannesburg for the second match on September 27. The third and final ODI will be played in Potchefstroom on September 30.
The series will also form part of South Africa’s preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
South Africa squad for Australia ODI 2026 series
South African ODI cricket team: Temba Bavuma (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs.
