South African speedster Dale Steyn on Wednesday became the rainbow nation’s most successful bowler by overtaking Shaun Pollock.
Steyn achieved the feat after he removed Pakistani opener Fakhar Zaman for 12 in the opening match of the three-match Test series between the two nations at Centurion.
Steyn now has 422 wickets in 89 matches while Pollock took 421 wickets in 108 games.
DALE STEYN MAKES HISTORY! 🙌
With Fakhar Zaman’s wicket, his 422nd, the South Africa paceman becomes his country’s most successful Test bowler.
READ ⬇️https://t.co/kxEmcEVuqo pic.twitter.com/4u9liXGqbK
— ICC (@ICC) December 26, 2018
DALE STEYN MAKES HISTORY!!!
Steyn is the leading wicket taker in South African test cricket.
That’s a mighty 422 test scalps for the SA CRICKET SUPERSTAR 🔥🔥🔥
Finally top of the charts 💃💃💃#ProteaFire #SAvPAK pic.twitter.com/GwiKNG7Rtj
— Kass Naidoo (@KassNaidoo) December 26, 2018
Well done @DaleSteyn62 👑 pic.twitter.com/YzZM7O7ghg
— Shaun Pollock (@7polly7) December 26, 2018
Dale Steyn, we salute you! What a man, what a player. Fitting that “Simply the best” is playing at Supersport Park, where everything started! Congrats legend @DaleSteyn62
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) December 26, 2018
Congrats to Steyn-remover @DaleSteyn62 who just became the greatest wicket-taker in South African history. Wonderful bowler, great guy. #No422 👊👍👏 pic.twitter.com/ROPFFkn83B
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 26, 2018
Earlier on Tuesday, Steyn said, “I’m just looking forward to getting out there. I’ve been answering that question about that record for about two years now so we’ve passed that.”
“I have got a lot of wickets in me than just one more. I haven’t saved myself to take one more wicket than Polly. There is a bigger goal at the end of the day. It’ll be a beautiful thing to happen to me if it does. These honours are great things to achieve and I’ll be highly honoured. But when I do, I’ll get back to the end of my mark and try and take another one. That’s the plan,” Steyn told EspnCricinfo.
In the last three years, Steyn played just six games due to injury and speaking about his the 35-year-old seamer said, “Many people don’t know the seriousness of that injury. You can’t just pick yourself up and start going again.”
“But it was wonderful to have that break. I got a lot closer with my family, something a lot of us struggle with because we’re on the road for so long. I was able to build great relationships with people who are close to me. And travel while I’m still young and come back really excited to play cricket at the highest level. I feel like I’m 23,” Steyn added.