Marco Jansen and Duan Jansen become first pair of twins to play in the IPL

Duan Jansen made his debut for MI in IPL 2023, while his twin-brother Marco Jansen plays for SRH.

Marco Jansen and Duan Jansen become the first pair of twins to play in the IPL when Duan Jansen got his IPL 2023 debut cap for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 16, 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Marco Jansen also made his Indian Premier League debut for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on 9 April 2021. However, Marco has now moved onto the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) franchise after being brought by the team in the IPL 2022 auction and retained thereafter for the IPL 2023.

Duan Jansen is Marco’s identical twin and bears similar facial features and is also a left-arm pacer like his brother. Duan has previous experience playing in T20 leagues as played in the 6ixty tournament and CPL for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots team.

Duan was picked by the MI Cape Town during the SA20 players auction last September and was also roped in by the same franchise (Mumbai Indians) during the IPL mini auction which took place in December 2022, at his base price of INR 20 Lakh.

Twins not the first time in Cricket

Two of the most famous pair of twins to play international cricket are Mark and Steve Waugh for Australia and Hamish and James Marshall for New Zealand. Steve and Mark Waugh played over 100 Tests and ODIs together and won the 1999 World Cup together as well.

The first male identical twins to play cricket together for the same team in the same match were brothers from New Zealand Hamish and James Marshall against Australia in 2005.

Amongst the women’s cricketers, the first pair of twins to play international cricket were the three Shevill sisters’ Fernie, Irene, and Essie. All three of whom played for Australia in the inaugural women’s Test series, against England in 1934-35.

Alex and Kate Blackwell were the first set of identical twins (male or female) to play cricket for Australia. They represented the nation for the first time in an ODI in 2004.

Kyshona and Kycia Knight are the first pair of twins to represent the West Indies in women's cricket.