In a move that took the cricketing world by surprise, South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has announced his retirement from international cricket. The 33-year-old made the declaration through social media on June 2, stating a desire to prioritise spending time with his family after being one of the best white-ball batters for his country.
Klaasen’s decision comes just months after representing South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, where the Proteas bowed out in the semi-finals against New Zealand. Known for his explosive power and middle-order stability, Klaasen leaves behind an impressive white-ball legacy, having scored 2,141 runs in ODIs, 1,000 in T20Is, and 104 in Tests — including four international centuries.
“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.
“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,” he added.
Klaasen had already bid farewell to the longest format back in 2024, but his sudden exit from the ODI and T20I circuits marks the end of an era for South Africa’s power-hitting blueprint. He holds the world record for the highest individual ODI score by a No. 5 batter — an unbeaten 174 off 83 balls against Australia in September 2023, a knock that underscored his ability to single-handedly turn games.
