South African cricketer and one of the most feared white-ball cricketers globally, Heinrich Klaasen, has announced his retirement from international cricket at 33 years old.
Klaasen played four Tests, 60 ODIs, and 58 T20Is for the Proteas, accumulating 104, 2141, and 1000 runs respectively. He debuted internationally in an ODI versus India in Cape Town in February 2018, quickly showcasing his technique against spin.
Ultimately, with more consistency over the past four years, he emerged as one of the fiercest hitters of the ball in the middle-orders of T20 and ODI, becoming highly desired in T20 leagues globally.
Klaasen’s decision came merely months after he played for South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, where the Proteas were eliminated in the semi-finals by New Zealand.
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Renowned for his dynamic strength and reliability in the middle order, Klaasen has established a remarkable white-ball legacy over the past 4 years.
“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 said.
Klaasen had already retired from the longest format in 2024, but his abrupt retirement from the ODI and T20I scenes signifies the conclusion of an era for South Africa’s explosive batting strategy. He possesses the world record for the highest individual ODI score by a No. 5 batsman — an unbeaten 174 off 83 balls versus Australia in September 2023, a performance that highlighted his ability to independently shift the momentum of the game.
