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Heinrich Klaasen announces his retirement from international cricket
This Monday has brought extra blues for cricket fans across the globe. The day started with Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell announcing his retirement from ODI cricket. Now, Heinrich Klaasen has joined the parade and bid a heartfelt adieu to international cricket. Klaasen's career spanned over half a decade, during which he represented the Proteas in all three formats. The explosive middle-order batter debuted for South Africa in 2018 and played over 120 matches across formats. An exceptionally skilled hitter of spin, Klaasen's numbers shine significantly bright in ODIs. The wicketkeeper-batsman has amassed 2,141 runs in 60 matches at an average of 43.64, with four centuries to his name in the format.
In a lengthy, heartfelt post, Heinrich Klaasen announced his retirement from international cricket. The 33-year-old expressed that the decision is a well-thought-out move on his part, shaped by every aspect of his life. Moving ahead, Klaasen is focused on spending more time with his family. Meanwhile, the cricketer, who recently capped off the IPL 2025 season with SRH, is likely to continue his stints across different T20 leagues around the world. Earlier in 2024, Klaasen had announced his Test retirement.
“It is a sad day for me as I announce that I have decided to step away from international cricket. It took me a long time to decide what’s best for me and my family for the future. It was truly a very difficult decision, but also one that I have absolute peace with," Klaasen wrote in his retirement post. I look forward to spending more time with my family as this decision would allow me to do so," he added.
Klaasen, already retired from the longer format, was left out of the central contract this year. The move pulled by the South African cricket board shocked many, as the fraternity gauged a shift in priorities. The Protea played a heroic knock for his team in the final of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup against India. Chasing 177 in Barbados, Klaasen struck 52 off 27, threatening a loss to the Men in Blue. However, despite his best efforts, the Proteas missed out on the title win as India pulled things back in the last over to claim a 7-run victory.
With his retirement settled, Klaasen will now head to the US for the upcoming season of Major League Cricket. The wicket-keeper batter, who made waves with his prolific hitting last season, capped off a meek run in IPL 2025 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. The middle-order pick's form remained elusive for most of the tournament. However, Klaasen finally shed his shackles in the last match of SRH's campaign. The batsman came through with a sensational century in the SRH vs KKR IPL 2025 match, smashing 105 off just 39 deliveries. Though the Protea has hung up his gloves from international cricket, Klaasen is anticipated to keep lighting up T20 leagues around the world.
