South African great Dale Steyn shows his cricketing spirit ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 match between South Africa and Afghanistan. Ahead of the game at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 11, the former bowler spent time with the Afghan players during a practice session.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bowl first against South Africa in their second Group D match of the ongoing T20 World Cup. Both sides made one change in their lineup. South Africa included George Linde in place of Corbyn Bosch, while Afghanistan included Noor Ahmed in place of Zia-ur Rahman.
Dale Steyn wins hearts with gestures before South Africa vs Afghanistan match
Before the match between South Africa and Afghanistan, Dale Steyn was seen interacting warmly with the Afghan players at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Although Afghanistan were preparing to face their home country, Steyn spent time guiding his bowlers during practice.
The former fast bowler shared tips and advice despite the upcoming clash against South Africa. His gesture impressed fans around the world and highlighted that respect and sportsmanship matter more than the outcome of a match.
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Dale Steyn – a true gentleman of the game
As Afghanistan prepared to face his own country, South Africa, Steyn was seen generously sharing valuable advice with the Afghan bowlers.
Rivalries aside, their love for cricket and nurturing talent shines brighter than the team colours.
– Crictracker (@crickettracker) 11 February 2026
Dale Steyn continues to impress cricket after illustrious career
Dale Steyn built his career on pure pace and fast swing. Batsmen struggled against him for more than a decade. He ended his Test career as South Africa’s leading wicket-taker with 439 wickets in 93 matches.
In white-ball cricket, he took 196 wickets in ODIs and 64 wickets in T20Is. He also remained at No. 1 in the ICC Test bowling rankings for a record 263 weeks.
Steyn retired in 2021 but did not walk away from the game. He became the bowling coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL and worked closely with young players like Umran Malik.
He also moved into commentary and now appears at ICC events and the SA20. Steyn has played an important role in cricket, be it as a player, coach or commentator.
South Africa look for another win as Afghanistan face must-win situations
South Africa is a strong contender for victory in the ongoing match against Afghanistan. In his first game against Canada he scored 213 runs. Aiden Markram, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs helped the team score big.
Lungi Ngidi broke Canada’s batting lineup by taking four wickets. South Africa won this match by 57 runs. They would like another win to move closer to the Super 8.
Afghanistan is under pressure after losing the first match to New Zealand. Gulbadin Naib scored a fighting half-century, but the bowlers could not defend 182 runs. They lost this game by five wickets. If Afghanistan loses again, its chances of reaching the next round will be badly affected.
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