Mumbai Indians rope in Kwena Maphaka as a replacement for injured Dilshan Madushanka for IPL 2024

The Mumbai Indians have signed South African teenager Kwena Maphaka to their squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. The five-time IPL champions have named Kwena Maphaka as a replacement for Dilshan Madushanka for the upcoming season.

Dilshan Madushanka was sidelined from the prestigious tournament due to an injury sustained during the second ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh. The left-arm pacer will now concentrate on his recovery ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 in June.

Madushanka secured a substantial contract worth Rs 4.6 crore with the five-time champions after impressing with his white-ball performances at the 2023 ODI World Cup. He claimed 21 wickets in nine matches with an average of 25 and a best bowling figure of 5/80.

The Sri Lankan pacer is the second pacer that MI has lost due to injury. Previously, Jason Behrendoff suffered an injury before the 2024 IPL season, incurring a fracture while batting in the nets. He was subsequently replaced by Luke Wood in the MI squad.

Kwena Maphaka Will Join MI For His Base Price

Mumbai Indians have signed Kwena Maphaka to fill in for the injured Dilshan Madushanka for IPL 2024. The announcement was made by the IPL’s official website, stating that the player was acquired for a base price of INR 50 lakh.

“Dilshan Madushanka was ruled out of TATA IPL 2024 due to an injury. Kwena Maphaka – the left-arm pacer – represented South Africa at the recently concluded ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup and was named the Player of the Tournament. He will join MI for his base price of INR 50 Lac,” the statement on iplt20.com read.

Kwena Maphaka To Join Fellow South Africans Gerald Coetzee, Dewald Brevis

Kwena Maphaka gained prominence after his performance at the 2024 U-19 World Cup, where he emerged as the top wicket-taker with 21 scalps in six games. He secured the Player of the Tournament title, setting a new record for the most wickets in a single edition.

Maintaining his excellent form after the World Cup, the left-arm pacer has been taking wickets consistently in the CSA T20 Challenge while representing the Highveld Lions. With seven wickets in four matches, he is the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition.

Maphaka, accompanied by fellow South Africans Gerald Coetzee and Dewald Brevis, aims to capitalize on this significant opportunity. He will learn from esteemed bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga, who serve as MI’s bowling coach, for the IPL 2024.

The Mumbai-based franchise will kick off its season against the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 24. The Hardik Pandya-led team aims to start strong and compete for the title after a four-year hiatus.

Also read: Kwena Maphaka beats Uday Saharan, Musheer Khan to win U19 World Cup Player of the Tournament