Dale Steyn

South African fast bowler widely regarded as one of the greatest Test cricket bowlers of all time, holding the record for fastest to 400 Test wickets.

Born on 27 June 1983 in Phalaborwa, a mining town in South Africa's Limpopo province, Dale Willem Steyn developed his cricket skills in the country's domestic system before making his international debut in 2004. His early career showed promise but little suggested he would become one of cricket's most feared fast bowlers. Steyn's breakthrough came around 2007 when he established himself as South Africa's premier pace spearhead. His combination of raw pace, late swing, and the ability to move the ball both ways at speeds exceeding 150 km/h made him virtually unplayable during his peak years from 2007 to 2016. He consistently troubled the world's best batsmen across all conditions, proving equally effective on helpful pitches and flat surfaces. His aggressive bowling style and animated celebrations became his trademark, while his ability to reverse the ball added another dimension to his arsenal. In Test cricket, Steyn claimed 439 wickets in 93 matches at an average of 22.95, making him South Africa's leading wicket-taker in the format. He spent 263 weeks as the number one bowler in the ICC Test rankings, the most by any South African. Steyn took five wickets in an innings on 26 occasions and recorded ten wickets in a match five times. He was the fastest bowler to reach 400 Test wickets, achieving the milestone in his 80th Test. In limited-overs cricket, he claimed 196 ODI wickets and 47 T20I wickets. Steyn revolutionized fast bowling in the modern era, proving that pace and aggression remained vital in an increasingly batting-friendly game. His sustained excellence across nearly a decade established him as arguably the greatest fast bowler of his generation. Despite injury problems curtailing his later career, his impact on South African cricket and the sport globally remains profound, inspiring a new generation of fast bowlers worldwide.

Express pace bowler with exceptional swing and seam movement

Regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history

• ICC No. 1 Test bowler (263 weeks)
• ICC Cricketer of the Year 2008
• Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World 2013