SRH vs MI: Why Playing Kwena Maphaka was Wrong? Hardik Pandya at Fault or Someone Else?

Mumbai Indians are getting grilled by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL 2024 match on Wednesday (March 27).

Sunrisers Hyderabad have absolutely massacred their bowlers so far as they have already amassed a massive total which has never been fathomed in IPL. After 17 overs, SRH are on a mountain of runs, as they are 232 for 3.

Travis Head scored 62 runs off just 24 balls on his SRH debut, while Abhishek Sharma is unbeaten on 54 off just 19 balls.

Mumbai Indians handed a debut to their young South African bowler Kwena Maphaka, who has been at the worst receiving ends of Baptism of Fire. The young bowler has conceded 66 runs off his four overs. He was the third youngest player to make his debut in IPL, but it has been a sour one so far.

Maphaka was dispatched around the ground by both Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, and you got to feel for the Proteas U19 bowler.

The Paltans roped Maphaka as a replacement for Sri Lankan pacer Dilshan Madhushanka, and he has had a torrid IPL debut so far. Although his execution was questionable, but the question arises if he should have been given a game so early in the tournament.

SRH vs MI: Why Kwena Maphaka shouldn't have Played

Mumbai Indians may have thought that Kwena Maphaka could turn things around for them, but it hasn't proved to be that. And if we dissect the decision of them playing Maphaka, it makes sense given SRH have two South African right-handers in their side, but they didn't account Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who are left-handed batters and had a feast with Maphaka's bowling.

The 17-year-old was up against it from the start, and crumbled at the cauldron as things got wrong for him. Even if we consider it as a learning curve for the youngster, the decision to throw him in the middle of the warzone needs to be questioned, as it proved to be disastrous.

Who is to Blame? Hardik Pandya at Fault?

No one can be blamed for selecting Kwena Maphaka, but we can say the assumption from the Mumbai Indians thinktank has gone wrong here. Perhaps they could have waited a bit more before introducing him in such a big stage.

Hardik Pandya has been at the centre of all criticisms in this season. The MI captain was hugely booed by the Sunrisers faithful on the night but he mustn't be blemished for this. If anyone vouched to play Maphaka, it must have stemmed from their head coach Mark Boucher and probably their team management.

Boucher has been central to all Mumbai Indians decisions, the biggest being the captaincy change, it feels that the former South Africa player was instrumental in sanctioning Maphaka debut as well. Hence the major share of the criticism, if there is, must be towards Boucher, not Pandya at all.