Marco Jansen Shares South Africa’s Approach For ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Semi-Finals

Karachi [Pakistan], March 2 : South Africa’s left-arm seamer, Marco Jansen, has revealed the national team’s strategy for the upcoming semi-final games of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after they secured their spot in the final four on Saturday.

South Africa’s dominant win over England propelled them to the semi-finals, where they topped Group B, finishing ahead of Australia, who also made it through. Their win over England, a side loaded with talent, has been a standout moment in the tournament, with Jansen playing a pivotal role. His impressive performance—taking 3/39 off seven overs and making three catches—earned him Player of the Match honors.

“We wouldn’t say the mindset changes (heading into the semi-finals); it’s just the occasion that’s probably a bit more hyped up,” Jansen said in a post-match interview. “You try your processes… but for me, it’s just about having steps or guides that you go into every match, and then, in semi-finals, you just try and do that extraordinarily well.”

With their strong form, South Africa has all the ingredients to take the Champions Trophy home. Despite the disruption of rain denying the chance to play Australia, their comprehensive win against England showed the Proteas are ready for any challenge.

“I think it was a good team performance overall. As a bowling unit, we did most of what we set out to do, and the batters did their job well,” Jansen added.

Discussing his bowling approach during the match against England, Jansen explained, “I was hoping for some swing, but there wasn’t too much in the air. There was a little nip at the start, but once the ball got older, it didn’t deviate much. For me, it was just about backing my options, hitting a hard length rather than going full.”

He also highlighted the importance of intent: “It’s just about going out and bowling with good intent because when you do that, you tend to have more energy on the ball, and things generally happen.”

South Africa is yet to know who they will face in the semi-finals, as the outcome of the New Zealand vs. India game on Sunday will determine the opponent. The result of that match will also influence the venue, with India based in Dubai.

“For me, it’s just about adjusting the lengths depending on where you play and figuring out what works and what doesn’t work as the game develops. The situation of the game changes, but mentally, it’s the same approach,” Jansen concluded.

With the Proteas in top form, they remain a formidable contender for the ICC Champions Trophy title.