South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen Announces Shocking Retirement From International Cricket At Age 33

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] June 2: Heinrich Klaasen, the big-hitting South African batter, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 34. Klassen, who recently featured in the IPL for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, will walk away having represented South Africa in four Tests, 60 ODIs, and 58 T20Is. His decision is surely a shocker, but one that he put plenty of time into deciding. Klaasen’s announcement comes hours after Glenn Maxwell retired from ODI cricket.

Having announced he was done with Test cricket last year, Klaasen retires with immediate effect, bringing an end to a distinguished seven-year career with the Proteas. The wicketkeeper batter 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.

“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 on his Instagram handle. “From the first day, it was the biggest privilege representing my country and it was everything that I have worked for and dreamed about as a young boy.

“I have made great friendships and relationships that I will treasure for life. Playing for the Proteas gave me the opportunity to meet great people that changed my life, and to those people I can’t say thank you enough. My road to wearing the Proteas shirt was different than most and there were certain coaches in my career that kept believing in me – to them I will always be grateful.

Klaasen scored 2141 runs on ODIs 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.

To have played with the Proteas badge on my chest was and will always be the biggest honour in my career. I look forward to spending more time with my family as this decision will allow me to do so. I will always be a big Proteas supporter and would like to thank everyone that supported me and my teammates during my career.

Renowned for his dominance against spin, Klaasen also scored 1000 T20I runs for his country, 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.