Keshav Maharaj 'Sad To See' Heinrich Klaasen Retire: 'Leaves A Big Gap In...'
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Keshav Maharaj praised Heinrich Klaasen's contributions to South African cricket following his retirement after a seven-year career.
South African spinner Keshav Maharaj acknowledged the significant void left by his longtime teammate Heinrich Klaasen's retirement from international cricket.
Klaasen, one of the modern era's most formidable batters, announced his retirement after a seven-year international career that began in 2018. The 33-year-old played a key role in South Africa's white-ball resurgence, helping the team reach the semi-finals of the 2023 Cricket World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy, as well as the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Maharaj paid tribute to Klaasen's contribution to South African cricket and the considerable gap his departure creates.
'He's probably one of the most feared batsmen in white-ball cricket today. It's sad to see him go," the ICC quoted Maharaj, who is preparing for the World Test Championship Final, as saying.
'He's still young, younger than me, but we can only wish him well. I'm sure he has his reasons, and we must respect that. He leaves a big gap in the lineup, but I know he'll continue supporting us," he added.
Maharaj also reflected on a turning point in Klaasen's career. 'From both a teammate's and a cricketing perspective, we know his skill. It's amazing to see his journey, from being in and out of the team to having one series that changed everything.
'It was against Australia. I remember that ODI series; he scored a hundred and two fifties in three matches. He never looked back after that."
This pivotal moment occurred during the home ODI series against Australia in February-March 2020. Klaasen's unbeaten 123 in the opening match, his maiden ODI century, followed by scores of 51 and 68* led South Africa to a 3-0 series sweep. Klaasen finished with 242 runs and was named Player of the Series.
One of the most memorable moments Maharaj and Klaasen shared recently was the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Final against India. Chasing 177, South Africa were 70/3 in the ninth over when Klaasen came in and scored a rapid 27-ball 52, swinging the match in South Africa's favour. The game shifted dramatically when Klaasen was dismissed by Hardik Pandya.
Reflecting on the T20 World Cup final, Maharaj said, 'It was probably one of the most special finals. We didn't win, but Klaasen's knock gave us hope. Without it, we would have lost by a much larger margin.
'He brought us back into the game and showed his world-class skills in a high-stakes match. His performance was truly special."
(With inputs from IANS)
First Published:
June 03, 2025, 15:02 IST
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