He has taken seven wickets in T20 World Cup 2026 so far.
South African pacer Marco Jansen is arguably one of the most evolved all-rounders in world cricket, particularly in the bowling department. Now, in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, the right-arm pacer has unleashed a new weapon during South Africa’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against New Zealand on Saturday, February 14.
Marco Jansen is known for his ability to create steep bounce and speed thanks to his tall 6.8-foot height. He has long posed problems for batters by hitting the pitch hard. However, in the high-scoring game at the Narendra Modi Stadium, it was not just speed that made the difference, but a new variation he had been developing quietly.
As New Zealand began to gain momentum in the middle overs, Marco Jansen brought his new weapon into the action. He used a delivery he developed himself to slow down New Zealand’s innings.
Running with a hidden grip, it initially looked like a slower ball that caused southpaw Mark Chapman to hit a leading edge to the fielder at backward point. This wicket drained the Kiwis of their momentum just when they were starting to take off.
Speaking after the game, Marco Jansen explained, “It is not a knuckleball, but it is not a back-of-the-hand palm ball either. It is a mixture of the two. If I bowl the knuckleball, you can see my knuckles, so it is easier to pick. So, I specialised my own version. I have also been training to bowl the normal off-cutter a bit better.”
This wicket disrupted New Zealand’s flow at a critical moment, shifting the momentum back in South Africa’s favour.
ALSO READ:
Jansen finished with outstanding T20I figures of 4 for 40. The 25-year-old mentioned that the new variation arose more from need than testing, especially on surfaces where the ball skids and batters can easily time their shots against fast bowlers. In addition to this hybrid slower ball, he has also been refining his classic off-cutter to improve control over his bowling.
Meanwhile, Marco Jansen first bowled such a delivery during the T20I game against England, with the first one being Ben Duckett and the other being Chapman.
The left-arm pacer has bagged seven wickets in just three games at an average of 16 and an economy of 9.33 so far. And South Africa have won all three group stage matches in the tournament so far, beating Afghanistan, Canada and New Zealand.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
