Fit-again South Africa pacer Dale Steyn says New Zealand's decision to play three spinners in the 47-run victory over India in the World Twenty20 opener paid off.
Chasing a mere 127 runs for victory, favourites India were bundled out for 79 in 18.1 overs, on a turning track at Nagpur on Tuesday night, with the Kiwi spinners sharing as many as nine wickets among them.
"I guess New Zealand thinking was correct. Playing with three spinners paid off. We would probably go with spin? I don't know. But, as a seamer, I have to back myself, bowl fast cutters. It is really difficult to hit out when the ball is coming at 140-145, it's gripping and stopping," Steyn told reporters on the sidelines of his team's practice session at the Brabourne stadium on Wednesday.
Steyn, who suffered a shoulder injury, said he is now fully fit.
"I am fit and fine. Wasn't a lot of injuries, just two injuries. The first one was a groin, just probably a week-10 days, but I made a rush, trying to get into the Test match (against India) in Bangalore, which put me back another four weeks, which put me out of the series.
"I had a really bad shoulder and, unfortunately, I could not come out too quickly from that. When you have a broken shoulder, you have to set it for 8-10 weeks. It is not that I was injured the entire time; I had a really bad shoulder. Now I am feeling strong, fine. It's nice to be back in India. Played a couple of games against Australia, two warm-up games. It’s coming up nicely," Steyn said.
"Our management is good with me, I have never really (been) pushed to do anything more than what my body requires. I have played a handful of ODIs, just over 110, whereas someone like Brett Lee played close to 300 ODIs at this stage of his career. I have been handled well, managed well. I also made good decisions; sometimes it is against me, pulling out of tournaments, series.
"I have been bowling with same speed all my career. I am still landing the ball at same place, I guess it is working," he added.
The 32-year-old pacer said age is just a number and cited the example of Mumbai spinner Praveen Tambe, now 45.
Steyn, who plays all the three formats for the Proteas, said playing the shortest form can be quite "mentally hard".
"The T20 can be mentally hard. Being a bowler you have only four overs. If you got an edge it can go for a four; that's not your fault, whereas in a Test match you have five days to make up for it," he said.
South Africa have never won an ICC tournament and when asked about it, he quipped, "That doesn't give us any pressure.
"We have obviously been a powerhouse team for a long time and it is disappointing to fans all over the world that we have not won one. So we would like to win one. We are well-prepared as possibly as we can; we have some of the best players in the world.
"T20 is a strange game; anybody in the top seven teams can win... we respect the other guys. We have seen it happen so many times in the past. Netherlands beating England in the past, they almost beat us in the last World Cup. This is a format where anybody can win it."
