Reports: 17-year-old Proteas pace sensation Kwena Maphaka to be net bowler for Mumbai Indians for IPL 2024

The Mumbai Indians have reportedly claimed the services of 17-year-old South African pace bowling prodigy Kwena Maphaka as a net bowler for the upcoming IPL 2024 season.

Maphaka's raw pace and ability to move the ball both ways has caught the attention after his stellar performances in the U19 World Cup earlier this year.

Maphaka was the standout star of the U19 World Cup, claiming an incredible 21 wickets to finish as the tournament's leading wicket-taker and also the Player of the Tournament.

He achieved the rare feat of taking three five-wicket hauls in the same U19 World Cup, showcasing his potential to be a world-class new ball bowler. His 6/21 against Sri Lanka was one of the best bowling performances of the tournament.

Also read: Tom Moody warns Hardik Pandya about downsides of captaincy ahead of IPL 2024

Mumbai Indians to face Gujarat Titans in their opening game

Following his outstanding performance at the U-19 Cricket World Cup, Maphaka continued his dominance in domestic cricket, playing for the Gauteng Lions in the CSA T20 Challenge.

Maphaka's talent appears to have intrigued the interest of the Mumbai Indians think-tank. The teenager has obtained the necessary visa and will join the five-time IPL champions at their base in Mumbai before traveling with the team to their matches.

While primarily joining as a net bowler, there are reports that Maphaka could have a place straight into the Mumbai playing XI, too.

The Sri Lankan left-arm seamer and MI recruit Dilshan Madushanka recently sustained a hamstring injury, and his availability for the season remains uncertain. If ruled out, Maphaka may be the ideal like-for-like replacement with his ability to extract extra bounce.

Also read: Akshay Kumar, AR Rahman amongst star-studded line-up for opening ceremony

The Hardik-Pandya-led side is preparing well for the 17th edition of the tournament, as they play Gujarat Titans in their opening game of the tournament on March 24 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The five-time champions last won the trophy in the 2020 season under Rohit Sharma's leadership and would want to add one more under their belt under Pandya's captaincy.