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End of an Era! Dale Steyn Bids Farewell To Sunrisers Eastern Cape As Bowling Coach

Akshita Patel

Dale Steyn exits SA20 [Source: @BCCI]Dale Steyn exits SA20 [Source: @BCCI]

South African fast bowling legend Dale Steyn has officially announced his departure from the Sunrisers Eastern Cape ahead of the 2026 season. It brings to an end a remarkable three-season stint as part of the team’s coaching staff in the SA20 league.

Steyn’s association with the Eastern Cape has been nothing short of a fairytale. Under his guidance as bowling coach, the team reached three consecutive finals, winning the SA20 championship twice and finishing runner-up once.

Dale Steyn Exits Sunrisers Eastern Cape After 3 Years

In a heartfelt message shared on social media, former South African speedster Dale Steyn announced that he will be leaving Sunrisers Eastern Cape as bowling coach. He expressed his gratitude to the franchise, calling his time there a great pleasure and praising the team’s environment.

"Cricket announcement.  Massive thanks to Sunrisers EC, it’s been a great pleasure working with you and the best management/coaching staff I’ve ever worked with.  3 seasons and 3 finals, twice won and and a runner up, what more could one ask for, loved it. All the best to the team for season 4. Thank you and go well."

Dale Steyn's tweet [Source: @DaleSteyn62/X.com]Dale Steyn's tweet [Source: @DaleSteyn62/X.com]

Steyn first joined Eastern Cape in SA20’s inaugural season in 2023. They won the first two seasons to assert their dominance. In 2025, despite a slow start, the SEC went on to play the finals, where MI Cape Town beat them comprehensively to clinch their maiden title.

Now, with Steyn exiting the team ahead of the 2026 season, it remains to be seen if the two-time champions will be going through a transition phase. Interestingly, the speedster also exited the Sunrisers’ IPL team, SRH, after the 2024 season.

Steyn To Join CSK?

Legendary South African fast bowler Dale Steyn once expressed his deep admiration for MS Dhoni, stating he’s even willing to take a pay cut or just sit on the Chennai Super Kings bench to be part of the franchise. Speaking on the Pdoggspeaks YouTube channel in 2024, Steyn called himself a huge admirer of Dhoni and revealed his desire to join CSK in any role during IPL 2025. Having never played under Dhoni, Steyn still dreams of being part of the Yellow Army.