Dale Steyn To Retire From Limited-Overs Cricket After 2019 World Cup

South Africa veteran Dale Steyn has said he would bring down curtains on his limited overs cricket after the 2019 World Cup in England.

Of late, the 35-year old’s career has been plagued with several injuries. The shoulder injury that he suffered during the tour of Australia towards the end of 2016 has very much put his career off the track. He could not play competitive cricket till November last year. The speedster was expected to return to action in mid 2017 but the healing process took longer than expected.

The star bowler made his much-awaited return to Test cricket during the first Test at New Lands against India this year. However, the joy was short-lived as another injury saw him getting ruled out of the game and subsequently the series.

And Steyn has now all but made up his mind on how long he would continue to play white-ball cricket.

“I will be trying to get to that World Cup (in England). But after the World Cup I don’t see myself playing white ball cricket for South Africa. By the time the next World Cup comes, I will be 40,” Steyn said at a promotional event.

Steyn last played an ODI in October 2016. No surprises then that he would have to do exceedingly well in the coming days to make it to South Africa’s World Cup squad. But for the time being, he is hopeful his experience would help him make the cut.

“If you look at the (SA) batting line-up, our top six have played 1,000 games, but lower half – from eight to eleven who are currently playing – not even 150 games. You need to draw on experience.

“I hope that will be my trump card when the selection comes to the World Cup. I may not necessarily play all the time. But I think my experience will help with me just being there,” he said.

Steyn, however, is in no mood to bring down curtains on his international career. He ensured that he would love to continue playing Test cricket even after 2019 World Cup.

“When it comes to Test cricket, I would like to play as long as possible. I have finally come out of a cloud of injuries. I broke my shoulder and in my first game on return (against India at Cape Town), I landed in a foothole. It was rotten luck,” he said.

“It’s quite difficult to come back from a broken shoulder, especially with your bowling arm. I feel that’s (injury) gone and now I am fit. I played two Test matches without an injury (against Sri Lanka recently), bowled at good pace and never went off the field because of niggles. It’s a big plus,” he added.

He recently played in the two-Test series in Sri Lanka which the Proteas lost 2-0. And the veteran pacer looked far from his best. On unfriendly wickets, he got one each in the two innings of the opening Test and none in the second.

Speaking about the tour, he said:

“Wickets are something that’s not guaranteed. I am happy I came out 100 per cent (fitness wise). That’s the biggest cloud I have gotten over, especially after the last two years.”