Afghanistan vs South Africa: Why is Marco Jansen not playing today’s 2023 ODI World Cup Match?

In a strategic move ahead of their crucial semifinal clash against Australia, South Africa has opted to rest all-rounder Marco Jansen for their final league-stage encounter against Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The decision was announced by skipper Temba Bavuma during the toss at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

South Africa has already secured a spot in the semifinals, set to face Australia at Eden Gardens on November 16. With an eye on maintaining momentum and fine-tuning their strategy for the upcoming high-stakes encounter, the Proteas have chosen to give Marco Jansen a break for the Afghanistan match.

Speaking about the decision, Bavuma revealed, “Tabraiz Shamsi and Marco Jansen have been rested. Gerald Coetzee and Andile Phehlukwayo come into the side. The pitch may be slow, and it might turn in the later part of the match. We are expecting the ball to nip a bit, and we will see whether the dew comes in the evening.”

𝑻𝑶𝑺𝑺

🇦🇫 Afghanistan won the toss and have opted to bat 🏏#SAvAFG #CWC23 #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/x2tNQp6qkz

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) November 10, 2023

Jansen, the left-arm seamer, has been a linchpin for South Africa in the 2023 ODI World Cup league stage, amassing 17 wickets and emerging as the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. His ability to swing the new ball both ways and extract extra bounce due to his tall frame has played a pivotal role in South Africa’s dominant run.

However, Jansen faced a challenging outing in the recent match against India at the Eden Gardens, where he conceded 94 runs in 9.4 overs. The aggressive duo of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill took on Jansen early on, leading to an uncharacteristically expensive spell for the left-arm seamer.

Despite this setback, Jansen remains a vital asset for South Africa as they head into the semifinals. His rest for the Afghanistan encounter provides an opportunity for Gerald Coetzee and Andile Phehlukwayo to showcase their skills and contribute to the team’s preparation for the knockout stage.

SA Playing 11

Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, David Miller, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi