East London: Dale Steyn is determined to be part of South Africa’s squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia in October and November after switching his focus from Test cricket to the shortest form of the game.
South Africa’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker will be 37 by the time the global showpiece starts and has not played international cricket since last March. But he said on Tuesday he was looking forward to his comeback in the first Twenty20 international against England at Buffalo Park on Wednesday.
“I love playing cricket,” he said. “I wake up every day and I can’t see myself doing anything else right now.” Steyn said he had discussed some options for life after cricket but that was something for the future.
“As long as that drive is still there to play at the highest level, to get batters out, fox them and outsmart them and that kind of stuff, if I can do that I’m going to continue to do that.”
Steyn was selected for the 2019 Cricket World Cup in England and Wales but didn’t play a game before returning home with a shoulder injury. He announced his retirement from Test matches in August and said he would devote the rest of his career to limited overs cricket. But he didn’t play in the three-match one-day series against England which ended on Sunday and he indicated on Tuesday that his focus had narrowed to the 20-overs format. Steyn said that he planned to play in T20 leagues in Pakistan and India in the coming months. “After that it will be the Proteas and I will give it everything I’ve got until the World Cup.” He said. (AFP)
