Kwena Maphaka helped South Africa storm into the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 semi-finals by claiming an astonishing six wickets in a thumping 119-run win over Sri Lanka in their final Super Six stage encounter at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Friday.
The pace sensation, who became the first bowler ever take four five-wicket hauls in Youth International cricket, recorded figures of 6/21 to blow away the Asian side for 113 in pursuit of 233 set by the hosts.
In taking all those wickets, Maphaka became the first bowler to claim three five-fors at the World Cup and moved top of the wicket-taking charts with 18 wickets. So good was his performance that it overshadowed the almost equally impressive 4/28 taken by Riley Norton.
And they fully justified their place amongst the top teams with yet another rampaging win, their third in succession as they aim to peak at the right time.
Their batting on Friday was set up by Lhuan-dre Pretorius after he followed his unbeaten half-century in the previous game by striking an attacking 71 (77 balls, 10 fours) to get the Junior Proteas off to a flier.
The opener shared in a 63-run stand with Steve Stolk (22) at the top of the order but the South Africans then struggled as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
From 103/1, they slipped to 133/6, before some lower order runs by Romashan Pillay (27). Norton (41*) and Nqobani Mokoena (18*) got them to a respectable total.
Any hopes Sri Lanka may have had of chasing that target were dashed by the fifth over when Maphaka sent their top three packing for only 13 runs.
Dinura Kalupahana (19) and Hirun Kapurubandara (16) tried to arrest the slide but after some brief resistance, they too were dislodged by the amazing Maphaka.
Norton then sunk into the middle order, before Maphaka returned to end the game and seal another good win.
Squad
Juan James (captain, Western Province), Raeeq Daniels (Western Province), Tristan Luus (Dolphins), Kwena Maphaka (Lions), Dewan Marias (Easterns), Nqobani Mokoena (Dolphins), Riley Norton (Boland), Romashan Pillay (Dolphins), Sipho Potsane (Lions), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Titans), Richard Seletswane (Lions), Steve Stolk (Titans), David Teeger (Lions), Oliver Whitehead (Western Province) and Ntando Zuma (KwaZulu-Natal Inland).
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