Heinrich Klaasen

Heinrich Klaasen
Personal information
Full name
Heinrich Klaasen
Born (1991-07-30) 30 July 1991 (age 33)
Pretoria, Transvaal Province, South Africa
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off spin
RoleWicket-keeper batsman
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 339)19 October 2019 v India
Last Test8 March 2023 v West Indies
ODI debut (cap 125)7 February 2018 v India
Last ODI21 December 2023 v India
ODI shirt no.45
T20I debut (cap 75)17 February 2018 v India
Last T20I15 November 2024 v India
T20I shirt no.45
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2011/12–presentNortherns
2014/15–2020/21Titans
2018Rajasthan Royals
2018Durban Heat
2019Royal Challengers Bangalore
2022Guyana Amazon Warriors
2022/23Durban's Super Giants
2023–presentSunrisers Hyderabad
2023–presentSeattle Orcas
2023–presentOval Invincibles
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC
Matches 4 54 58 85
Runs scored 104 1,907 1,000 5,347
Batting average 13.00 40.06 23.25 46.09
100s/50s 0/0 4/8 0/5 12/24
Top score 35 174 81 292
Balls bowled 0 30 6 88
Wickets - 0 0 2
Bowling average - – – 25.00
5 wickets in innings - – – 0
10 wickets in match - – – 0
Best bowling - – – 1/12
Catches/stumpings 10/2 46/6 33/5 272/23
Medal record
Men's Cricket
Representing  South Africa
ICC T20 World Cup
Runner-up 2024 West Indies & USA
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 15 December 2024

Heinrich Klaasen (born 30 July 1991) is a South African cricketer who plays for the South African national cricket team[1] in limited overs cricket. Previously in 2021, Klaasen captained South Africa for the first time in a T20I match.[2] he is considered one of the most destructive players in limited overs cricket in the modern era. Renowned for his adept power-hitting capabilities, he demonstrates proficiency as a wicketkeeper, coupled with exceptional prowess as a finisher within the contemporary cricketing landscape. His remarkable statistics against spin bowling have established him as a coveted asset for T20 franchises. He has reported to be retained by the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise for INR 23 Crores for the upcoming IPL 2025.[3]

Domestic and T20 career

In August 2017, Klaasen was named in Nelson Mandela Bay Stars' squad for the first season of the T20 Global League.[4] However, in October 2017, Cricket South Africa initially postponed the tournament until November 2018, with it being cancelled soon after.[5]

On 2 April 2018, Klaasen joined the Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals replacing Steve Smith.[6]

In June 2018, Klaasen was named in the squad for the Titans team for the 2018–19 season.[7] In October 2018, he was named in Durban Heat's squad for the first edition of the Mzansi Super League T20 tournament.[8][9]

In December 2018, Klaasen was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the player auction for the 2019 Indian Premier League.[10][11] In June 2019, he was selected to play for the Toronto Nationals franchise team in the 2019 Global T20 Canada tournament.[12] In July 2019, he was selected to play for the Glasgow Giants in the inaugural edition of the Euro T20 Slam cricket tournament.[13][14] However, the following month the tournament was cancelled.[15]

In September 2019, Klaasen was named in the squad for the Tshwane Spartans team for the 2019 Mzansi Super League tournament.[16] He was released by the Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the 2020 IPL auction.[17]

Shukri Conrad, a coach at Cricket South Africa's National Academy, stated that Klaasen could become South Africa's equivalent of MS Dhoni.[18] In September 2015, he said, "Heinrich stays very calm in the situation. He stays in the moment. There’s very much a ‘poor man’s MS Dhoni’ about him. There are really no sideshows to his game and really takes the game to the opposition. He doesn't wait for the game to come to him and that is what I like most about him. He is as tough as they come."[18]

In April 2021, Klaasen was named in Northerns' squad, ahead of the 2021–22 cricket season in South Africa.[19]

He was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad to play in the 2023 Indian Premier League.[20]

In February 2023, Klaasen scored the second century in the SA20 tournament, making 104 not out from 44 balls for Durban's Super Giants against Pretoria Capitals. In May 2023, he also made his maiden IPL century against former team Bangalore, scoring 104 runs of 51 balls.[21]

In July 2023, Klaassen became the first person in Major League Cricket to score a century playing for the Seattle Orcas against MI New York scoring 110 runs from 44 balls.[22]

International career

In February 2017, Klaasen was named in South Africa's Test squad for their series against New Zealand, but did not play.[23]

In February 2018, Klaasen was added to South Africa's One Day International (ODI) squad for their series against India, replacing an injured Quinton de Kock.[24] He made his ODI debut against India on 7 February 2018.[25] He won his first international man of the match award in his second ODI, in the fourth ODI of the home series against India, with a match-winning 43 runs off 27 balls.[26]

In the same month, Klaasen was named in the South Africa Twenty20 International (T20I) squad, also for their series against India.[27] He made his T20I debut for South Africa against India on 18 February 2018.[28] On 21 February, Klaasen scored his maiden T20I fifty in the second T20I against India which South Africa won by 6 wickets, he was also awarded the man of the match for his 69 runs from 30 balls, which included 3 fours and 7 sixes.[29][30]

In February 2018, Klaasen was named in South Africa's Test squad for their series against Australia, but did not play.[31] In August 2019, he was added to South Africa's Test squad for their series against India, replacing the injured Rudi Second.[32][33] He made his Test debut for South Africa, against India, on 19 October 2019.[34] On 29 February 2020, Klaasen scored his first century in an ODI match, making an unbeaten 123 against Australia.[35]

In January 2021, Klaasen was named to captain the South Africa T20I squad for their away series against Pakistan.[36] In April 2021, Klaasen was again named as South Africa's T20I captain, this time for their home series against Pakistan, after Temba Bavuma was ruled out due to an injury.[37] In September 2021, Klaasen was named in the South Africa squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.[38]

On 8 January 2024, Klaasen announced his retirement from Test cricket, having played only 4 matches since his debut in 2019.[39][40]

In May 2024, he was named in South Africa’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.[41]

In June 2024, he went on to score the fastest fifty in a men's T20 World Cup final.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "Heinrich Klaasen". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  2. ^ "Favourites Pakistan gear up for T20 season against fresh-faced South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  3. ^ Gollapudi, Nagraj. "SRH set to retain Klaasen, Cummins, Abhishek". ESPN Cricinfo.
  4. ^ "T20 Global League announces final team squads". T20 Global League. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Cricket South Africa postpones Global T20 league". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  6. ^ "Heinrich Klaasen joins Royals – Rajasthan Royals". www.rajasthanroyals.com. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Multiply Titans Announce Contracts 2018-19". Multiply Titans. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  8. ^ "Mzansi Super League - full squad lists". Sport24. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Mzansi Super League Player Draft: The story so far". Independent Online. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  10. ^ "IPL 2019 auction: The list of sold and unsold players". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  11. ^ "IPL 2019 Auction: Who got whom". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  12. ^ "Global T20 draft streamed live". Canada Cricket Online. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  13. ^ "Eoin Morgan to represent Dublin franchise in inaugural Euro T20 Slam". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  14. ^ "Euro T20 Slam Player Draft completed". Cricket Europe. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  15. ^ "Inaugural Euro T20 Slam cancelled at two weeks' notice". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  16. ^ "MSL 2.0 announces its T20 squads". Cricket South Africa. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  17. ^ "Where do the eight franchises stand before the 2020 auction?". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  18. ^ a b "Klaasen could be SA's 'Dhoni' – Conrad". Sport. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  19. ^ "CSA reveals Division One squads for 2021/22". Cricket South Africa. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  20. ^ "IPL 2023 mini auction". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  21. ^ "Heinrich Klaasen slams maiden IPL ton, fires SRH to 186/5 against RCB". Times of India. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  22. ^ "15th Match (D/N), Morrisville, July 25, 2023, Major League Cricket (Heinrich Klaasen 110*, Andrew Tye 4*, Nosthush Kenjige 1/35) - RESULT, MI NY vs SEA, 15th Match, Church Street Park, Morrisville, July 25, 2023, live score". ESPNcricinfo. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  23. ^ "Philander, Morkel return; wicketkeeper Klaasen called up". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  24. ^ "Finger injury rules Du Plessis out of India ODI and T20 Series". Cricket South Africa. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  25. ^ "3rd ODI (D/N), India tour of South Africa at Cape Town, Feb 7 2018". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  26. ^ "South Africa beat India in rain-shortened game to keep series alive". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  27. ^ "South Africa call up Jonker, Dala and Klaasen for India T20Is". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  28. ^ "1st T20I, India tour of South Africa at Johannesburg, Feb 18 2018". ESPNcricinfo. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  29. ^ "Klaasen, Duminy clobber India as Proteas level series". Sport24. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  30. ^ "Klaasen magic helps Proteas square T20 Series". Cricket South Africa. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  31. ^ "Klaasen, Mulder in Test squad to face Australia". ESPNcricinfo. 24 February 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  32. ^ "Heinrich Klaasen replaces Rudi Second for South Africa's Tests against India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  33. ^ "South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen hopeful of making first Test appearance in India series". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  34. ^ "3rd Test, ICC World Test Championship at Ranchi, Oct 19-23 2019". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  35. ^ "Klaasen's unbeaten ton steers Proteas to 291". SA Cricket Mag. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  36. ^ "Klaasen to captain Proteas T20 squad to Pakistan". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 19 January 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  37. ^ "Hamstring injury rules Temba Bavuma out of Pakistan T20Is". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  38. ^ "T20 World Cup: South Africa leave out Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir and Chris Morris". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  39. ^ "Heinrich Klaasen retires from Test cricket". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  40. ^ "Heinrich Klaasen Ends His Test Cricket Career". USNWB Cricket. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  41. ^ "South Africa Sqaud for ICC Men's T20I World Cup". ScoreWaves. Retrieved 11 June 2024.