Who is Mihlali Mpongwana? 5 interesting facts about South Africa fast-bowler making his debut in SA vs NZ 2025 tri-series match

Mihlali Mpongwana has made his ODI debut for South Africa against New Zealand in their ongoing Tri-series match in Lahore on Monday, February 10. Born on May 15, 2000, Mpongwana is a dynamic fast-bowling all-rounder, primarily known for his right-arm pace.

Mpongwana has demonstrated significant potential through his strong performances in South Africa’s domestic cricket scene. He was selected for the T20I squad against India based on his consistent performance and viewed as an emerging talent who could make a substantial impact on the national team.

Mihlali Mpongwana’s journey so far has been a series of impressive achievements in domestic cricket. Mpongwana has been building his career with Western Province and has also had the honor of leading South Africa’s Emerging Players team.

While Mpongwana did not make his international debut in the T20I series against India at home, he finally got his opportunity, albeit in a slightly different format.

Here are five interesting facts about Mihlali Mpongwana as he is on his ODI debut.

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Who is Mihlali Mpongwana? 5 interesting facts about South Africa fast bowler making his debut in SA vs NZ 2025 tri-series match

#5 Led South Africa Emerging Players to success in Zimbabwe

In August 2024, Mihlali Mpongwana captained the South Africa Emerging Players team during their tour to Zimbabwe, where they competed in three List A and two four-day games against the Zimbabwe Emerging Players.

While the games did not carry official List A or first-class status, Mpongwana’s leadership was a key highlight. Under his captaincy, South Africa won the first four-day match and drew the second, and they also clinched victories in two of the three List A matches.

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#4 Stellar all-round performance in the Provincial One-Day tournament

Mihlali Mpongwana’s performance in the 2024 Provincial One-Day Tournament made a major impact, both with the bat and the ball. He finished as the joint-third-highest wicket-taker in the competition, taking 12 scalps across seven matches. Additionally, he made a memorable batting contribution by scoring a century (105) in the tournament final.

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#3 Selected for South Africa’s Test squad on the New Zealand tour

Earlier in 2024, Mpongwana was named in South Africa’s Test squad for their tour of New Zealand. Though he did not play in any matches, his selection was significant. It showcased his growing status as a promising talent, especially as the Test squad missed many of South Africa's usual stars who were busy with the SA20 league. His inclusion in the squad was a reward for his strong domestic performances, even if he has yet to make his debut in the longer format.

As mentioned earlier, he was a part of the T20I squad for the home series against India in 2024 but did not play a single game in the five-match series.

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#2 Joint second-highest wicket-taker in the CSA T20 Challenge

Mpongwana’s performance in the CSA T20 Challenge was one of the driving factors behind his T20I selection. He finished the competition as the joint-second-highest wicket-taker, securing 12 scalps at an impressive average of 14.06. His consistent bowling throughout the tournament showed his ability to perform in the shorter format, which ultimately led to his inclusion in the T20I squad against India.

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#1 Yet to feature in the SA20 League

Despite his successes, Mihlali Mpongwana has not yet had the chance to play in the SA20 League, South Africa’s premier T20 competition. Unlike several of his national teammates, he does not currently hold a contract with any SA20 team and has primarily focused on his domestic career with Western Province. His recent T20I call-up and now the ODI call-up, however, might increase his visibility and lead to future opportunities in the SA20 league.