Dale Steyn to miss first two Pakistan ODIs

Paceman Dale Steyn will miss the first two of the five-match one-day series against Pakistan to rest his body, South African team management said on Sunday.

The 30-year-old Steyn featured in the second Test, which South Africa won by an innings and 92 runs on Saturday, despite suffering a hamstring injury three days before the match.

He showed no signs of discomfort and took four wickets in the Test but team management decided to rest Steyn in the first two matches in Sharjah (October 30) and Dubai (November 1).

“Steyn is being rested for the first two one-dayers, and will return back to South Africa before joining up with the squad for the remainder of the series as well as the T20 series,” said team manager Mohammed Moosajee.

Steyn will be available for the third match in Abu Dhabi on November 6, the fourth (also in Abu Dhabi on November 8) and the fifth in Sharjah (November 11).

Star batsman Hashim Amla, who missed the second Test after returning home to attend the birth of his child, is also doubtful for the first one-dayer.

“Colin Ingram has been placed on standby for Amla, who is still in South Africa awaiting the birth of his second child. Ingram will join up with the squad on Monday morning,” said Moosajee.

Moosajee also added that former coach Gary Kirsten will join to help the one-day squad with their batting, confirming that he will spend five days between the second and third ODIs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“Gary is a World Cup-winning coach and it would be naive for us not to tap into his wisdom. We have a crop of young batsmen in the squad we feel will gain a lot of insight from his vast batting experience and knowledge,” said Moosajee of Kirsten, who guided India to World Cup glory in 2011.

Kirsten then took over as South African coach in June 2011 but left the job in June this year.

“We are going into an important phase leading up to the World Cup (2015) so it will be important for us to tap into as many resources available to us as possible,” said Moosajee.

South Africa have never won a World Cup since being re-admitted to international cricket in 1991.

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