Kwena Maphaka may just be poised to be one of the big stars of the new season of the TATA IPL. A bright and young left-arm pacer, Kwena Maphaka has been a player to watch out for in the recent few years . He made his mark in the ICC U-19 World Cup 2022 for South Africa, where he took 3 wickets for 32 runs in 10 overs in the semi-final against India. The youngster had his first taste of IPL in the 2024 edition when he made his debut for the Mumbai Indians at the age of 17. Though he made just two appearances where he picked up one wicket across his two matches, the learning experience would have been invaluable. Maphaka then went on to debut for South Africa in all three formats. In January 2025, the now 18-year-old Maphaka became the youngest player to make his Test debut for South Africa in the New Year’s match in Cape Town. The teenager was even part of South Africa’s squad in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. With all the international experience he has gained, Maphaka returns to the IPL a much more mature cricketer in 2026, and could play a key role for RR.