South African batsman-wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen announced on Monday that he was retiring from international cricket.The big-hitting Klaasen, 33, earned a reputation as one of the most destructive batsmen in white-ball cricket. “Playing for the Proteas gave me the opportunity to meet great people who changed my life,” Klaasen said in a statement issued by Cricket South Africa.Klaasen scored 2141 runs at an average of 43.69 in 60 one-day internationals, maintaining a strike rate of 117.05. His highest score of 174 was made off 83 balls against Australia at Centurion in 2023.He scored 1000 runs at a strike rate of 141.84 in 58 Twenty20 internationals. He also played in four Test matches before he retired from red-ball cricket in 2024. His ability to score quickly made him a sought-after player in franchise competitions around the world. He was signed by Indian Premier League team Sunrisers Hyderabad for a record 23 crore (US$2.69-million) for the 2025 season. He is expected to continue to be available for franchise cricket. Enoch Nkwe, South Africa’s director national teams, described Klaasen as “a true match-winner for South Africa. He was capable of changing the course of a game in a matter of overs.”Klaasen was not among the players awarded a Cricket South Africa contract in April and the governing body said at the time that discussions regarding his future were ongoing.South African coach Shukri Conrad said after being appointed white-ball coach last month in addition to his role as Test coach, that he expected players to prioritise playing for South Africa above T20 leagues.
