‘Play More T20 Cricket, Take One Day Cricket Away’: Heinrich Klaasen Explains Sudden Retirement From International Cricket | Cricket News
Former South African cricketer Heinrich Klaasen, who retired from international cricket just last month after seven impactful years, has shared powerful insights into the future of the sport. At 33, Klaasen believes the calendar is overcrowded and in need of reform. In an interview, he suggested that the ICC should consider scrapping bilateral One-Day Internationals (ODIs) to make room for formats that resonate more with fans namely Test matches and T20s.
“I think the only change that I will make is probably take [bilateral] one‑day cricket away from international cricket. Make it more Test matches for teams that don’t play a lot of Test matches. Play more T20 cricket, because that’s what the people want to see. You can keep your one‑day World Cups, and just maybe a month before the one‑day World Cup starts, you play five games for every team, just to get used to that format,” he told cricbuzz.
Klaasen on Financial Pressures
Klaasen also addressed player retention, particularly in South Africa. He emphasized the need for national boards to support their players financially so they aren’t compelled to chase wealth in global leagues.
“It’s not a big change that you have to make in that format. It’s more the international teams that you probably will struggle with. If they don’t take care of the international players, they will go out and go play leagues to make some extra cash. If you look at the Aussies and the England boys, they get looked after well, so they don’t need to go around the world and go play all these leagues.”
Klaasen’s International Milestones
Klaasen burst onto the international scene in 2018, quickly emerging as a commanding force in South Africa’s white-ball lineup. In over 60 ODIs, he amassed more than 2,000 runs at a stellar average close to 44, highlighted by an explosive 174 against Australia in 2023 a record second-highest score by a number-five batsman.
In T20Is, he featured in 58 matches with an impressive strike rate of 141.84. His final appearance came during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against New Zealand. Heinrich Klaasen’s departure marks the end of a thrilling chapter not only for his dynamic batting, but also for his bold suggestions on how the future of global cricket might be reshaped.
