Image Credit source: BCCI
Heinrich Klaasen made his debut in the T20 series on the Indian cricket team’s 2018 tour of South Africa and scored 69 runs in the second match itself.
There have been two matches of T20 series between India and South Africa. South Africa won both the matches and took a 2-0 lead. The specialty of both these victories of South Africa was that different players gave success both times. In the first match, David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen became the heroes of the victory, then in the second match Heinrich Klaasen did this work. But this is not the first time that Klaasen has done well against India. Rather, his career in T20 was started against India and his record in fewer matches is tremendous.
Klaasen, 30, was included in the playing XI in the second T20 match played in Cuttack on Sunday 12 June due to the injury of wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock. This innings was crucial for middle-order batsman Klaasen as it was his first match in any format for South Africa after the 2021 T20 World Cup and the right-handed batsman did not let himself and his team down.
India’s Kutai in Cuttack
Klaasen stepped into the crease at the Barabati Stadium when South Africa lost 3 wickets in the powerplay itself. Klaasen, who came after Rasi’s wicket fell in the sixth over, handled the innings till the 10th over and then changed gear and started showering runs and from here the match started slipping from India’s hands. Klaasen especially targeted the Indian spinners and also hit 3 sixes in an over of Yuzvendra Chahal. Klaasen was finally out on the last ball of the 17th over, but by then he had ensured the team’s victory. He scored 81 runs in 46 balls with the help of 7 fours and 5 sixes. His strike rate was 176.
The bat runs against India
This was the biggest innings of Klaasen’s T20 International career, but it was not the first time he did so. In fact, against India, Klaasen enjoys scoring runs differently. In 2018, he made his T20 debut on Team India’s tour of South Africa.
Then in the second match, 69 runs in 30 balls were given, which was his highest score before the innings of 81 runs in Cuttack. South Africa had won in that match too and he was adjudged the player of the match.
Klaasen has played 4 matches against India so far, in which he has scored 173 runs with the help of 2 half-centuries. He has an average of 43 and a strike rate of 184. Obviously he likes to play against Team India and in such a situation, Team India will have to be more cautious in the rest of the series.
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