South African cricket legend and one of the finest pacers of all time, Dale Steyn, turned 40 today. Known for his lethal yorkers, Steyn has the distinction of topping the charts in Test rankings for 263 weeks and is also South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in red-ball cricket with 439 scalps in 93 matches.
Steyn made his Test debut against England in 2004 and has since been known for his memorable bowling spells. Let’s take a look at some of his greatest moments on the field:
In a match against the West Indies, Dale Steyn picked six wickets, conceding 34 runs in the second innings, to turn the game in South Africa’s favor.
Steyn broke the backbone of the Indian batting lineup, taking seven wickets and conceding 51 runs in the first innings. He picked up three more wickets in the second innings and secured a victory for South Africa by an innings and six runs.
In a game against Pakistan, Steyn ran through their batting lineup picking up six wickets in the second innings, causing Pakistan to fold for a lowly total of 49. He registered a five-wicket haul in the second innings and helped secure a 211-run victory for South Africa.
Against Australia in 2014, Steyn claimed four wickets conceding 34 runs, helping South Africa to restrict the Aussies to 217. The Proteas went on to win the game by six wickets.
In an ODI match against Pakistan in 2013, Steyn bagged six wickets and bowled out Pakistan for 262, dismissing Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Bilawal Bhatti, and Saeed Ajmal. Despite his brilliance, South Africa lost the match by a slender margin of one run.
In 2021, Dale Steyn announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Following his retirement, Steyn took up the role of bowling coach for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
These memorable bowling spells and his contribution to the game have made Steyn a legend of South African cricket and an inspiration to many young cricketers around the world. Happy birthday, Dale Steyn!
