Cricket

South Africa's cricketers are yearning for more bilateral series matches to enhance their competitiveness and momentum as a national team, according to middle-order batter Heinrich Klaasen. Klaasen expressed his frustration with the limited number of matches South Africa plays, stating that it hinders their development and ability to challenge top teams."We don't play five-match series anymore," Klaasen said. "It's disappointing, and it doesn't sit well with the players. We want to play more cricket against these guys and other countries, but we always find a way to just play two or three games."Klaasen's concerns extend beyond the T20 format. He believes that South Africa's Test team is also suffering from a lack of match practice, with the recent two-Test series against Australia being a prime example. "It's ridiculous in my eyes," he said. "We want to play more cricket against these guys."Klaasen's comments highlight the challenges facing South African cricket. The team has not won a bilateral series in two years and has struggled to maintain consistency in all formats. The lack of match practice has contributed to this decline, as players have limited opportunities to develop their skills and build momentum.In contrast, teams like India have been able to maintain a high level of performance due to their extensive match schedule. India has played three five-match T20I series since August last year and has a busy Test schedule in the coming months. This allows their players to gain valuable experience and maintain their form.Klaasen believes that South Africa could benefit from a similar approach. He suggests that the team could split its squads to compete in multiple formats simultaneously, as England and India have done. However, this would require a significant increase in the number of matches played, which may not be feasible given the current financial constraints.Despite the challenges, Klaasen remains optimistic about South Africa's future. He believes that the team has the potential to be competitive if they are given the opportunity to play more matches. "We want to play more cricket against these guys, and against the other countries as well," he said. "We just need to find a way to make it happen."

South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has expressed his admiration for Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav, describing him as the "GOAT" of the format. Klaasen, known for his explosive batting style, revealed his thoughts on T20 cricket, his memorable innings, and his personal favorites in an interview with JioCinema's Q20s show.Klaasen described his batting style as "explosive" and named Suryakumar Yadav as the greatest T20 player of all time. He praised Yadav's ability to hit fine leg off straight balls, a technique he would like to incorporate into his own game.Reflecting on his T20 career, Klaasen recalled two standout performances against India: his 81 in 2022 and 69 in 2018. He chose the former as his favorite, citing the tougher conditions in which it was scored.Klaasen also shared his admiration for other players, naming Jasprit Bumrah as the "toughest bowler to hit out in T20s" and Yuzvendra Chahal as "the funniest non-South African player" he has played with. He expressed his love for butter chicken as his favorite Indian dish.For inspiration from other sports, Klaasen named Formula 1 World Drivers Championship winner Lewis Hamilton, saying, "I wish I had the ability to drive cars like him." He also suggested that Nicholas Pooran is the one batter who could potentially score a double hundred in T20 cricket.When asked who he would trust to bat for his life, Klaasen replied, "Probably Hashim Amla." He admitted that he hesitates to try Suryakumar Yadav's "Supla Shot" over fine leg, as he prefers not to get into line too much.Klaasen's insights provide a glimpse into the mindset of a modern-day T20 cricketer, who values explosive batting, innovation, and a competitive spirit.

In the inaugural T20I of the four-match series between India and South Africa, South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen etched his name into the annals of T20 history. He became the fourth player to smash 100 sixes in a calendar year, joining an elite group that includes Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, and Andre Russell.India emerged victorious in the match, securing a convincing 61-run win at Kingsmead, Durban. Sanju Samson's blistering 107 off 50 balls and Varun Chakaravarthy's impressive spin bowling were the catalysts behind India's triumph.Klaasen's milestone six came during his innings of 25 off 22 balls, which also included two fours. This achievement underscores his exceptional power-hitting abilities and his status as one of the most dangerous batters in the shortest format of the game.The match began with South Africa, led by Aiden Markram, opting to field first. Samson's explosive knock set the tone for India's innings, with his remarkable strike rate of 214 propelling the team to a strong start. Suryakumar Yadav contributed 21 runs, while Tilak Varma added 33. India finished their innings with a competitive total of 202 for 8.South Africa's chase faltered as no batter managed to score more than 30 runs. The Indian bowling attack, led by Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi, dominated the innings. Klaasen top-scored with 25, while Coetzee made a brief but impactful contribution with 23 off 11 balls.Chakaravarthy and Bishnoi were the standout bowlers for India, each claiming three wickets. Their combined efforts restricted South Africa to 141 runs, resulting in a comfortable victory for India. Samson was named Player of the Match for his exceptional batting performance.The second T20I match between India and South Africa is scheduled for Sunday in Gqeberha.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 retention window witnessed a flurry of high-value deals, with franchises shelling out record sums to secure the services of their star players. Among the most notable retentions were Virat Kohli and Heinrich Klaasen, who commanded the highest and second-highest retention amounts in IPL history, respectively.Kohli, the talismanic batter for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), was retained for a staggering Rs 21 crore. However, his record was eclipsed by Klaasen, the wicketkeeper-batter from South Africa, who was snapped up by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for a whopping Rs 23 crore. Klaasen's retention fee shattered the previous record held by Kohli, who was retained for Rs 17 crore in the 2023 IPL auction.Other players who commanded high retention amounts included Nicholas Pooran (Lucknow Super Giants), Pat Cummins (SRH), Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals), Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR), Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans), Jasprit Bumrah (Mumbai Indians), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings), and Ravindra Jadeja (CSK), all of whom were retained for Rs 18 crore each.Interestingly, Punjab Kings opted for a more conservative approach, retaining only two players: Shashank Singh for Rs 5.5 crore and Prabhsimran Singh for Rs 4 crore. They were the only franchise to pay less than Rs 10 crore for their first-choice retention.Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) retained six players, including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh, who was surprisingly picked for Rs 13 crore.Each franchise had a combined purse of Rs 120 crore for retention and the mega auction. Teams could make a maximum of six retentions, including the Right To Match (RTM) card option. Alternatively, they could release all their players and enter the mega auction with six RTM cards, allowing them to buy back players at an unrestricted amount.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has made strategic decisions regarding player retentions ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction. The franchise has reportedly identified Heinrich Klaasen as their primary retention, followed by Pat Cummins and Abhishek Sharma.Klaasen, a South African wicketkeeper-batter, is set to receive INR 23 crore as the top-earning player. Cummins, the Australian all-rounder and former SRH captain, will receive INR 18 crore, while Sharma, the Indian all-rounder, will get INR 14 crore.Despite being SRH's highest-paid player last year, Cummins has reportedly taken a selfless approach by agreeing to Klaasen's higher salary. This decision reflects Cummins' commitment to team success over personal gain.The IPL allows franchises to retain up to six players, but SRH is opting for just three retentions. This strategy will give them a significant advantage in the auction, as they will have a larger purse to acquire new talent.Cummins' leadership and collaboration with coach Daniel Vettori have been instrumental in SRH's recent success. Under their guidance, young players like Sharma and Nitish Kumar Reddy have flourished.SRH is expected to finalize the retentions of Travis Head and Reddy soon. The franchise will have one Right-to-Match (RTM) card available at the auction, which can be used to retain an uncapped Indian player.Pat Cummins will continue as SRH captain in 2025, leading the team's charge for another successful season.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction dynamics have taken a new turn, with reports suggesting that Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are set to retain South African wicket-keeper batter Heinrich Klaasen for a whopping Rs 23 crore. This move highlights a crucial aspect of the IPL retention rules: franchises have the flexibility to distribute the retention fee among players as they deem fit, as long as the total amount remains within the designated Rs 75 crore retained purse.According to ESPN Cricinfo and Cricbuzz, the IPL rules stipulate that the first retention should be Rs 18 crore, the second Rs 14 crore, the third Rs 11 crore, the fourth Rs 18 crore, the fifth Rs 14 crore, and the uncapped Rs 4 crore. However, franchises are not bound to adhere strictly to these slabs. They can allocate the money among players in any way they choose, provided the total budget does not exceed the designated amount.This flexibility gives franchises significant leverage in negotiating retention fees with players. For instance, a franchise could opt to pay more than Rs 18 crore to their first retention and less than Rs 11 crore to their third retention, as long as the total budget adds up to Rs 43 crore (18 + 14 + 11), the designated amount for three retentions.Even if a franchise retains fewer than five players for an amount less than the designated Rs 75 crore, the designated amount will still be deducted from their overall purse. As per the retention rule quoted by Cricbuzz, "Retention deduction of overall amount instead of fee per player, in this case of 75 Crs irrespective of what amount is paid to 5 players. If the total amount exceeds 75 Crs then actual amount to be deducted. In case the amount is less than 75 Crs then 75 Crs to be deducted."This flexibility in distributing the retention fee provides franchises with greater flexibility in managing their budgets and retaining the players they value most. It also allows them to negotiate higher or lower fees for players they are keen on retaining, without disrupting the overall designated amount.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Retain Klaasen, Cummins, and Sharma Ahead of IPL 2025Sunrisers Hyderabad has made its first three retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, with South African power-hitter Heinrich Klaasen topping the list. According to ESPNcricinfo, Klaasen will receive INR 23 crore as the franchise's highest-paid retained player.Australian allrounder Pat Cummins, who captained Sunrisers in 2024, has been retained for INR 18 crore, while Indian allrounder Abhishek Sharma has been retained for INR 14 crore.Klaasen had a stellar IPL 2024 season, amassing 479 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 171.07. He was Sunrisers' second-highest scorer behind Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Sharma, who had the highest strike rate among the top-ten run-scorers last season, scored 484 runs in 16 innings with a strike rate of 204.21.Cummins led Sunrisers to the IPL 2024 final, where they narrowly lost to Kolkata Knight Riders. His leadership and all-round abilities were crucial to the team's success.Sunrisers are also expected to retain Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy soon. The IPL has set October 31 as the deadline for retentions ahead of the mega auction.The retentions of Klaasen, Cummins, and Sharma signal Sunrisers' intent to build a strong team for IPL 2025. Klaasen's power-hitting and Sharma's all-round abilities will provide the team with a solid foundation, while Cummins' leadership and experience will be invaluable.

Heinrich Klaasen, the South African power-hitter, will miss the 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) due to a family emergency. Klaasen, who was signed by St Lucia Kings in June, is a significant loss for the team.Klaasen's absence has prompted Kings to replace him with New Zealand's Tim Seifert, a top-order batter who has previously won the CPL title with Trinbago Knight Riders in 2020. Klaasen's departure is a blow to Kings, who finished third in the points table last season and reached the Eliminator.Other teams have also made personnel changes. Knight Riders have brought in USA's Andries Gous as a temporary replacement for Australia's Tim David, who will join the team after their first four matches. Barbados Royals have signed Sri Lanka's Dunith Wellalage and Shamarh Brooks to cover for David Miller and Keshav Maharaj, who will miss the first two matches due to the Cricket South Africa awards function.Sikandar Raza has also withdrawn from the CPL due to an injury. The Zimbabwe allrounder tweeted that he would miss the entire tournament. St Kitts and Nevis Patriots are yet to name a replacement.Klaasen's absence is a reminder of the unpredictable nature of sports. Despite his impressive form in recent years, he has been forced to withdraw from the CPL due to circumstances beyond his control. Kings will hope that Seifert can fill the void left by Klaasen and help them challenge for the title.

India's T20 World Cup triumph in 2024 was a testament to their resilience and composure under pressure. Skipper Rohit Sharma recently shed light on the nerve-wracking moments of the final against South Africa, revealing that he had to clear his mind to navigate the tense situation.With South Africa needing just 30 runs from 30 deliveries and six wickets in hand, India faced an uphill battle. Heinrich Klaasen's blistering half-century off 23 balls had put the Proteas in a commanding position. However, Rohit emphasized the importance of staying present and executing their plans."I was completely blank," Rohit said. "It's very important for me to stay in the moment and focus on the job at hand. We had to stay calm and try to execute our plans."India's composure was evident in the final five overs, where they conceded only 29 runs. Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh played pivotal roles in restricting South Africa's scoring. Bumrah's miserly six runs in the final over, including the crucial wicket of Marco Jansen, proved decisive.Arshdeep maintained the pressure in the penultimate over, giving away just four runs. Hardik's dismissal of Klaasen in the 17th over was a major turning point. He then took on the responsibility of bowling the final over and immediately dismissed David Miller on the first delivery, thanks to an unbelievable catch by Suryakumar Yadav.India's seven-run victory not only secured the T20 World Cup but also ended their 11-year-long ICC Trophy drought. Rohit's leadership and the team's ability to perform under pressure were key factors in their success.