Proteas fast bowler Marco Jansen has been named in Forbes Africa’s prestigious 30 Under 30 Class of 2026, joining a cohort of young Africans recognised for making an impact in their respective fields.
Born in Klerksdorp, Jansen rose to prominence alongside his twin brother Duan, also a professional cricketer, with the pair becoming the first twins to face each other in the IPL.
His combination of raw pace and steep bounce quickly marked him out as one of South Africa’s most exciting bowling prospects, while his lower-order batting has added significant value to the Proteas’ all-format setup.
Jansen’s career has been built on standout performances at the biggest moments. He took two seven-wicket hauls against India in 2021, before producing one of the great South African bowling performances in 2024, claiming 7-13 against Sri Lanka in Durban to bowl the visitors out for 42, their lowest Test total in history.
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The spell made him the first South African to take a ten-wicket match haul at Kingsmead and the first left-arm South African seamer to do so.
His most significant contribution came on the global stage in 2025, when he played a central role in South Africa’s historic ICC World Test Championship triumph, contributing four wickets in the final to help secure the Proteas’ first ICC title.
Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 Sports category judge Fatma Samoura described Jansen as one of the most compelling candidates in the cohort and a genuine world-class achiever.
True to his understated personality, Jansen has described himself as a silent leader who prefers to let his performances on the field do the talking rather than seeking the spotlight off it.
The recognition places him alongside other South African sporting standouts honoured on this year’s list, including Bafana Bafana star Relebohile Mofokeng and Olympic middle-distance champion Prudence Sekgodiso.
Photo: BCCI
