The world's most fearsome and respected fast bowler made Levi look more like a Sunday league player in the Indian Premier League match between Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers.

Steyn, playing for Deccan, mixed blistering pace with cleverly disguised slower deliveries to have Levi - South Africa's latest T20 international hero - up a gum tree.

Steyn kept Deccan in the hunt until the 19th over with a hostile spell, which realised three wickets for 12 in his four overs.

But teammate Daniel Christian failed to defend 18 off the last over with Rohit Sharma (73 not out) smashing the final delivery of the match for six to clinch a dramatic win for Mumbai.

Steyn's heroics did not prevent Deccan from losing their second consecutive match, but the six balls against Levi had the global audience glued to their television sets and had social-networking sites abuzz.

It was an outstanding maiden. Levi was left prodding and poking at Steyn's thunderbolts before being flummoxed by an in-swinging yorker delivered at almost 148km/h, which cannoned into Levi's middle stump, sending it cartwheeling.