Dale Steyn in LPL

Dale Steyn, the South Africa fast bowler, has confirmed he will join Kandy Tuskers for the Lanka Premier League (LPL), providing a lift for both the team and the league following a difficult week.

Over the last six days, Tuskers saw Chris Gayle – their highest profile player – withdraw from the tournament due to injury, before Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving on the island, and entered treatment in isolation, which is expected to keep him out for at least 14 days. Steyn is essentially Tuskers’ replacement for Tanvir, and confirmed his signing on Twitter.

With Tuskers due to play the tournament’s first game on November 26, Steyn is almost certain to miss part of the tournament while he undergoes quarantine, the team’s assistant coach Farveez Maharoof said. “We will assess when he can start playing after he arrives,” Maharoof said. “We’ll have to talk to the health authorities before we make a final call.”

Steyn, 37, last played a T20 at the end of October, for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. At Tuskers, he joins a pace attack featuring Nuwan Pradeep, Naveen-ul-Haq, Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan. The LPL is set to run from November 26 to December 16, at the Sooriyawewa Stadium near Hambantota.