With the possible exception of Virat Kohli in the final, no wicket brought more joy for Australia at the 2023 World Cup than Heinrich Klaasen in the Kolkata semi.
Partly, this was because it came from the golden arm of Travis Head, as Klaasen played meekly inside an off-break that turned only a little.
Heinrich Klaasen is bowled by Travis Head in the semi-final of cricket’s 2023 one-day international World Cup. Credit: Getty/AP
But the elation of the Australians was mainly because, to them, Klaasen is perhaps the single most destructive middle order player in white ball cricket today: that is, the most destructive player not named Glenn Maxwell.
After Josh Inglis led a masterful chase to defeat England in Lahore at the weekend, Australia’s undermanned bowling attack must now shape up to South Africa and Klaasen in Rawalpindi, known for its flat and featureless pitches. Klaasen missed the Proteas’ opening win over Afghanistan to rest an elbow problem, the better to be fit for Tuesday night’s game.
Possessing a keen eye, quick hands and enormous power, Klaasen can make biltong of most bowling, but especially spin. Since 2020, he has an average of better than 57 and a strike rate of more than 125 against spin, as against overall figures of 44 and 117 respectively. According to ESPNcricinfo, Klaasen’s clumping of spinners puts his strike rate comfortably ahead of every other batter in world cricket to have faced more than 500 balls of spin in that time.
In franchise cricket, Klaasen’s destruction of spinners has been even more eye-popping. During the 2023 IPL, he hammered slow bowlers at a strike rate of 191 while averaging 132, and was similarly effective in 2024.
Klaasen’s most recent four ODI matches, all against Pakistan, reaped 351 runs from 270 balls while swatting 11 sixes. His lowest score in that sequence was 81.
Against Australia, Klaasen has been particularly damaging, slotting 578 runs in 13 matches at an average of nearly 58 and a strike rate of better than 120, while heaving 23 sixes in all. Thirteen of those came in a single innings at Centurion in mid-2023, when Klaasen clattered 174 from a mere 83 balls.
“Tim David asked me how many sixes I hit and I said I didn’t know,” Klaasen said afterwards.
“It shows my mindset was good and I was only focusing on what’s coming in that moment. I have to go back and look at it. It was awesome out there … you don’t often get that feeling – maybe once or twice in your career.”
Adam Zampa bled 113 runs from his 10 overs that afternoon, and Australia were never much chance of chasing the Proteas’ gargantuan tally of 416.
“That was some serious hitting to shut out an innings,” Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald said at the time. “I don’t think we’ve seen too many innings like that before.”
So when Klaasen’s stumps were splayed in Kolkata, South Africa’s hopes of a big total were instantly curtailed. It was a bigger moment in hindsight, as the pursuit of 213 to win was a nervy one because the Eden Gardens pitch broke up and spun.
Klaasen has been dismissed by Zampa three times and by Head twice, but seldom without putting a dent in the bowling first. He has also been nipped out by Marcus Stoinis on four occasions, but the all-rounder reduced Australia’s options by retiring from ODI matches a few days before the Champions Trophy began.
South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen on the rampage at Centurion Park.Credit: AP
Without Josh Hazlewood (who played in the Klaasen 174 game), Pat Cummins or Mitchell Starc, a less seasoned Australian bowling line-up may well be susceptible to Klaasen, David Miller and others finding their range in Rawalpindi.
This is all to say that Australia’s balance against England may need reconfiguring for game two. Steve Smith wangled 23 overs of spin out of Zampa, Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Short, while using only seven overs from Spencer Johnson and not fielding a seam bowling all-rounder.
Both Labuschagne and Alex Carey excelled with the bat in the chase against Jos Buttler’s side, but should McDonald wish to bolster the pace battery with Aaron Hardie or Sean Abbott, it would have to be a batter to make way.
That’s a harsh call for a side that just beat England in the highest successful chase ever recorded in a global tournament. But it may well be necessary if the Australians are to keep up their formidable record against South Africa in matches that matter.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
