South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. The 32-year-old, who most recently played for South Africa during their run to the final of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, made the announcement via Instagram on Monday. “It is a sad day for me as I announce that I have decided to step away from international cricket,” Klaasen wrote, confirming the end of his eight-year international career. Klaasen revealed that the decision was not made lightly, but was guided by personal priorities. “It took me a long time to decide what’s best for me and my family for the future,” he added, noting that family time will now take precedence in his life. “I look forward to spending more time with my family as this decision will allow me to do so,” Klaasen further wrote in the heartfelt post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Heinrich Klaasen (@heinie45) From World Cup finalist to T20 sensation: Klaasen bows out on his own terms Klaasen’s announcement marks the end of a highly impactful yet somewhat under-celebrated career. Known for his aggressive middle-order batting, Klaasen was a crucial part of South Africa’s T20I setup in recent years and played a pivotal role during their journey to the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they narrowly lost to India. He played his last international match on March 5, 2025, against New Zealand. While his Test career was short-lived, just 4 matches, Klaasen made his biggest impact in white-ball cricket. In 60 ODIs, he scored 2,141 runs at an average of 43.69, including four centuries and 11 fifties. His strike rate of 117.05 made him one of the most explosive middle-order batters in the world. In T20Is, Klaasen amassed 1,000 runs from 58 matches at a strike rate of 141.84, with five half-centuries and a best of 81. Also READ: Breaking: Glenn Maxwell announces retirement from ODI cricket Klaasen also had an impressive IPL 2025 season with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), scoring 487 runs at a blistering strike rate of 172.69, further solidifying his reputation as a T20 powerhouse. Also READ: "I told him to stay calm, but he doesn't listen": AB de Villiers on emotional side of Virat Kohli Despite never securing a long-term spot in the Test side, Klaasen’s glove work and power-hitting made him a valuable asset for South Africa across formats.