Fast bowler Dale Steyn became South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket on Wednesday.

Steyn removed opener Fakhar Zaman early in the series opener against Pakistan at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

The wicket was the 422nd in a prolific career, surpassing the 421 reached by former all-rounder Shaun Pollock.

The 35-year-old Steyn has the 11th-most wickets in the longest form of the international game.

• Nine more and he will have as many as New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee.

 

• Two more than that and he will level the 433 gathered by Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath and England seamer Stuart Broad. While Herath retired recently, Broad is still playing.

 

• A dozen more wickets than Steyn’s current tally will equal Indian Kapil Dev’s 434, who boasts the seventh most wickets in Test cricket.

A move into the top six is highly unlikely for Steyn. West Indian Courtney Walsh is in sixth position with 519, followed by Australian Glenn McGrath’s 563, England James Anderson’s 565 and Indian Anil Kumble’s 619.

Australian Shane Warne’s 708 is second only to Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan’s 800.

Photo: Getty