South African cricketer Heinrich Klaasen, one of the best white-ball players in the world, announced his retirement from international cricket at 33.
- Statement from Cricket South Africa
Heinrich Klaasen has announced his immediate retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a distinguished seven-year career with the Proteas Men.
The 33-year-old announced on Monday that he would be stepping away from the white-ball formats, which follows his retirement from red-ball cricket in 2024.
Klaasen made his One-Day International (ODI) and T20 International (T20I) debuts in the summer of 2018, and went on to establish himself as one of the most destructive white-ball players of his generation.
He has played 60 ODIs and amassed over 2 000 runs at an average of just under 44 in the middle order. His power-hitting prowess was on full display during a blistering career-best 174 against Australia at his home ground, SuperSport Park, in 2023 – the second highest score ever recorded by a number five.
Renowned for his dominance against spin, Klaasen also represented South Africa in 58 T20Is, striking at a rate of 141.84. His ability to take on bowling attacks with calculated aggression made him a mainstay in South Africa’s limited-overs setup.
