CAPE TOWN - If anyone was asking "Who is Marco Jansen?" they surely are not anymore after the youngster earned the applause of Proteas legends such as Dale Steyn after his IPL debut on Friday night.
The 20-year-old beanpole from Potchefstroom, who has not yet played international cricket for the Proteas, had Twitter abuzz after a stellar performance for Mumbai Indians against Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2021 opener in Chennai.
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Although the defending champions Mumbai Indians eventually went down by two wickets, Jansen delivered a superb death over to take the match all the way down to the last ball of the game after only five runs were required off the final six balls.
A special moment! 💙
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 9, 2021
Our 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 pacer Marco Jansen makes his #IPL debut tonight! #OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #MI #MIvRCB #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/IYskNDKBAi
The performance was even more impressive as the left-arm seamer bowled to Proteas superstar AB de Villiers, who managed to take just one run off his bowling in that over before being run out trying to come back for the second.
De Villiers had, though, shown earlier that he had lost none of his magical touch with a match-winning 48 off 27 balls (4x4, 2x6).
"He (Jansen) is definitely a talent that we have identified and we wanted to give him that opportunity. He can bowl in any situation," Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma said.
Well done tonight Marco Jansen!
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) April 9, 2021
May have lost but you can be very proud 👊![CDATA[]]>👊![CDATA[]]>👊
Proteas great Steyn was equally enthused.
"Well done Marco Jansen! May have lost but you can be proud!" Steyn tweeted.
Former Proteas bowling coach Vincent Barnes added the list of glowing praise singers.
"So chuffed for Marco Jansen. I’m not surprised that he steps onto the big stage and performs. Although he is still very young I have been impressed with his maturity, his thoughts and gameplans at different stages of the game and the execution thereof. #fastbowlersunion" Barnes posted.
So chuffed for Marco Jansen. I’m not surprised that he steps onto the big stage and performs. Although he is still very young I have been impressed with his maturity, his thoughts and gameplans at different stages of the game and the execution thereof. #fastbowlersunion
— Vincent Barnes (@VincentBarnes60) April 9, 2021
Jansen, who plays his domestic cricket under the guidance of former Proteas spinner Robin Peterson at the Warriors, impressed not only in the last over, but earlier already when removed the dangerous Australian big-hitter Glenn Maxwell and Shahbaz Ahmed in the same over to finish with the impressive figures of 2/28.