The face of Modern Cricket: Heinrich Klaasen

Indian Team’s race to 2024 T20 World Cup triumph didn’t come easy. They fought hard and waited for years to replicate the 2007 win. Men in blue remained unbeaten in the tournament as they fought each and every match with grit and hardwork. The final match, on 29th June, was played against South Africa. Both the teams played a competitive game, but eventually it was the Indian Team who succeeded. 

In the finals, there was a batsman who scored fastest fifty in the men's T20 World Cup Final. Despite that, his team lost by margins. That player was Heinrich Klaasen. 

Today, in this article by ZAP cricket, we will talk about this lethal striker of the ball- Klaasen. He is a right handed batsman and a wicket keeper. 

Heinrich Klaasen’s international career 

Born on 30 July, 1991, Klaasen made his ODI debut on 7 February, 2018 vs India, T20I debut on 17 February, 2018 vs India and Test debut on 19 October, 2019 vs India. He is considered as one of the most destructive batsmen in limited overs in modern day cricket. The fluency with which he lifts the ball against spinners is impeccable. No other player of this generation has the calibre to hit sixes with this much ease. Moreover, it’s not just his strike rate that is astonishing, it’s the kind of strokes he displays. For instance, we have seen him hitting a back foot punch six against an off spinner! He improvises his shots and that too with utmost elegance. His jaw dropping strokes against bowlers, particularly spinners, makes him a favourite.

On January 8, 2024, Klaasen announced his retirement from Test cricket, having played only 4 matches in the format. He played his last Test on 8 March, 2023 vs West Indies. 

Heinrich Klaasen’s international stats 

Heinrich Klaasen’s international centuries so far 

Heinrich Klaasen in franchise cricket 

With his natural stroke play, Klaasen is one of the most admired players in the IPL. He started his journey with Rajasthan Royals, followed by Royal Challengers Bangalore, but wasn’t very impactful back then as he played only seven games in two years, with no remarkable achievements. 

Much later, in 2023, fortunes changed and he became one of the best batters in the league. He was picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad and the franchise backed him, resultantly, he became the most impactful player for the team. It was his impact in the middle order that helped his team surpass 250+ scores multiple times. Now, in IPL 2025, he is retained by SRH for INR 23 Crores. 

Stats in IPL

In SA20 league and The hundred, he has played for Durban Supergiants and Oval Invincibles respectively.