South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen Announces Retirement from International Cricket

Klaasen holds a record for the highest individual score at the number five position in the One Day international form of the game from his country. He achieved this feat against the Aussies in an ODI match played in 2023. Klaasen scored 174 runs from just 83 deliveries.

In 2018, his international debut was against India and quickly he earned a name as a power hitter and a composed batter, who knows how to bat in pressure situations. Klaasen has played for many T20 franchise league tournaments. In the Indian Premier League, the Proteas wicketkeeper plays for the orange army of the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Last year, in the TATA IPL 2024, Sunrisers Hyderabad reached the finals of that edition and Heinrich Klasasen also played an important role with the bat and behind the stumps. However, this year, SRH finished sixth on the TATA IPL 2025 points table and failed to qualify for the top four. But still, Klaasen showed his class with the willow in hand, scoring the most 487 runs in this 18th edition for his franchise side.

Klaasen is also the most expensive player retained in a franchise team of the Indian Premier League. He also is the first ever batter to score a ton in MLC (Major League Cricket) and this wicketkeeper batter also holds the joint record for the third fastest century in the IPL. Klaasen has smashed the most sixes in the ODIs and he even has the record of the highest career strike rate in the fifty overs format.

Heinrich Klaasen Careers Stats In International Cricket

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Heinrich Klaasen was overlooked for the central contract list of the South African cricket and many cricket experts feel that might be the reason for his sudden announcement of retiring from all forms of international cricket. But Klaasen also said that he will be available for the various T20 franchise tournaments.

He wrote on social media that this is a very sad day for me as I decide to step away from international cricket It took a lot time to decide what’s best for me and my family for the future. But I have absolute peace with. From the first day, it has been a privilege representing my country. The dream that I worked for since I was a boy.

The 33 year old wicketkeeper batter had already retired from the longest and traditional form of the game and now the wicketkeeper batter had announced his retirement from the other two formats like the One Day International matches and the T20 International games. His appearance in the Tests was against West Indies, his last ODI was versus New Zealan in CT 2025 and his final game in T20Is was with Pakistan in 2024. 

Klaasen had stated he wants to give time to his family and he will be available for the franchise league tournaments. Apart from playing for the SRH in the Indian Premier League, Klaasen had played for teams like the Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in this cash rich league tournament. 

He has also participated in the T20 league like MLC, The Hundred, Caribbean Premier League and the T20 league which is owned by South Africa. Heinrich Klaasen had played for the teams like Oval Invincibles, Northens, Durban’s Super Giants, Seattle Orcas and the Titans. Klaasen is a man who is pure match winner in the white ball format He is that one batter who can turn the game towards his team in the formats like T20Is and ODIs.