Heinrich Klaasen has been in sensational form for the Sunrisers Hyderabad for the past month. He has scored 425 runs in 10 matches at an average of 53.1 and a strike rate of 156.8, which includes at least three innings in which he was rebuilding in the middle order. Last week he bashed an unbeaten 65 from 30 balls in a successful run chase of 244.
Last week he also drew the final curtain on his chances of reversing his international retirement and returning to Proteas colours for 2027’s 50-over World Cup on these shores (with a handful of matches in Zimbabwe and Namibia).
“No, unfortunately not. I’m looking forward to what’s a new chapter in my life and it’s growing the game of cricket.”
Growing it in Europe, as it turns out. Klaasen has teamed up with Faf du Plessis and Jonty Rhodes to acquire a stake in the Rotterdam franchise of the Europe T20 Premier League with its inaugural season set for August 26 to September 20.
“I’m really looking forward to partnering with Rotterdam, and we’re pushing hard to make this thing happen and to make sure we run a professional business. We’re looking forward to getting the community behind us and getting the right infrastructure and the right people behind us to make this a success,” Klaasen said.
The Rotterdam trio were doing the “media rounds” last week. He was asked about the “secret” to remaining successful without the international stage to maintain his “edge”.
‘Old wine’ Faf
“I don’t think there’s a secret. It’s the belief. If you look at Faf, he’s like old wine. The longer he plays, the better he’s becoming. He’s been dominating leagues around the world since he retired from international cricket,” Klaasen said.
“It shows you it is possible. It’s just about taking a little more care off the field and what you do and how you prepare for the big leagues. It’s not like you can just have a holiday and just walk into these leagues.”
He would not have said that if that attitude and approach weren’t a real thing. Many have tried.
Said “old wine” Du Plessis: “We, as players, have never been part of the conversation when it comes to co-owning teams. You become a gun for hire on the field, but now there is the opportunity of it becoming something more.”
More of spritzer guy, 56-year-old Rhodes said: “It’s an exciting place to be but it’s a bit scary. You can’t just copy and paste what other people have done before. The uniqueness of starting something new is pretty special.”
Investing in the ETPL was “a no-brainer” according to Klaasen. “The names that are involved in this league [Steve Waugh is among them], I know for sure it will be a quality league when it starts.
“I’ve still got a lot of cricket in me. It might be the back end of my career but that’s still a few years away. So, hopefully in five years we will have a great set-up and a great infrastructure and we develop the game in Europe quite a bit,” Klaasen said.
It was also a “no-brainer” for Gary Kirsten, who was approached by the same Rotterdam franchise two months ago. “It was an interesting offer and we did some diligence and investigating. It was a lot of money to invest in a crowded market with no prospect of a return for three to five years, and certainly no guarantees. It wasn’t for me.”
Du Plessis has made a fortune in the IPL and Klaasen is earning more than R40m a year from that tournament alone, and there’s the money from the MLC in the US and The Hundred in the UK. Presumably they can afford to take a chance on yet another T20 league in the same week that the Indian Premier League (IPL) confirmed viewership and sponsorship in 2026 are both about 20% down from the previous year.
Du Plessis retired from international cricket at the “natural end” of his career. Klaasen was just 33 and at the height of his powers. He will be replaced, as all players are. Donovan Ferreira, 27, has scored 229 runs at a strike rate of 177 in this year’s IPL. He also keeps wicket and bowls tidy off-spin.
As sad as Klaasen’s decision is for South African cricket, the greater worry is the message his apparent diffidence sends to the next generation of players for whom international cricket and World Cups remain the ultimate goal. For now.
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