Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers believe big-hitting Heinrich Klaasen is currently the best T20 batsman in the world.
Klaasen has been in outstanding form this year.
He scored the fourth-most runs in the inaugural SA20 tournament, for Durban’s Super Giants – 363 in 10 matches at an average of 60.50 and a strike rate of 164.25. That included three fifties and a century – 104* off 44 balls against the Pretoria Capitals.
Klaasen carried that form into the Proteas’ white-ball matches against the West Indies – smashing 119* off 61 balls in the third ODI in Potchefstroom – and then into the IPL.
He was the star performer for a struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise that finished bottom of the 10-team log, striking two fifties, and a maiden T20 hundred – 104 off 51 balls (eight fours, six sixes) – against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The 32-year-old then made the third-most runs in the inaugural Major League Cricket tournament, with 235 in seven matches for the Seattle Orcas at an average of 58.75 and a 197.47. That included the first hundred in MLC history – an unbeaten 110 off 44 balls (nine fours, seven sixes) against MI New York.
In the current Hundred tournament in England, Klaasen has made 125 runs for the Oval Invincibles at a strike rate of 176.05.
His red hot form prompted former Proteas fast bowler Dale Steyn to tweet: “Heinrich Klaasen has to be, currently, top of the pile for 20/20 players right!!!???!!!!”
To which legendary Proteas batsman AB de Villiers replied: “Absolutely!”
Absolutely!
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) August 10, 2023
Klaasen will be hoping to continue his exploits in the Proteas’ upcoming home T20I and ODI series against Australia, and at the ODI World Cup in Australia in October and November.
