South African cricketer Heinrich Klaasen has announced his retirement from international cricket.
Heinrich Klaasen retires from cricket
The 33-year-old wicket-keeper and batsman confirmed the decision on his Instagram page, saying he made the choice after long consideration and with peace of mind.
Klaasen, who debuted for the Proteas in 2018, played a total of 122 matches across all three formats of the game—Test, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20 Internationals (T20Is).
He was known for his aggressive batting, particularly in limited-overs cricket, where he built a reputation as a hard-hitting middle-order player and a reliable finisher.
“It is a sad day for me as I announce that I have decided to step away from international cricket,” Klaasen wrote.
“It took me a long time to decide what’s best for me and my family for the future… I have absolute peace with [the decision].”
Heinrich Klaasen career statistics
Klaasen scored four centuries and 11 fifties in ODIs, and five half-centuries in T20Is. His highest T20I score was 72.
Though his Test career was limited—playing just four matches since his debut in 2019—he made a significant impact in white-ball cricket.
Throughout his career, Klaasen played for multiple domestic and international teams, including several stints in global T20 leagues such as the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Notably, he scored an unbeaten 104 off 51 balls in the IPL, and later another 105* off 39 balls, one of the fastest centuries in the league’s history.
Off the field, Klaasen was seen as humble and hardworking. He acknowledged the coaches and teammates who supported his journey, writing: “My road to wearing the Proteas shirt was different than most and there were certain coaches in my career that kept believing in me.”
He added:
“To have played with the Proteas badge on my chest was and will always be the biggest honour in my career. I will always be a big Proteas supporter and would like to thank everyone that supported me and my teammates during my career.”
Klaasen will now focus on his family and is expected to continue his cricketing career in domestic and franchise competitions.