South African batsman-wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen announced Monday that he was retiring from international cricket.
The big-hitting Klaasen, 33, earned a reputation as one of the most destructive batsmen in white-ball cricket.
"Playing for the Proteas gave me the opportunity to meet great people who changed my life," Klaasen said in a statement issued by Cricket South Africa.
Klaasen scored 2,141 runs at an average of 43.69 in 60 one-day internationals, maintaining a strike rate of 117.05.
His highest score of 174 was made off 83 balls against Australia at Centurion in 2023.
He scored 1,000 runs at a strike rate of 141.84 in 58 Twenty20 internationals.
He also played in four Test matches before he retired from red-ball cricket in 2024.
His ability to score quickly made him a sought-after player in franchise competitions around the world.
He was signed by Indian Premier League team Sunrisers Hyderabad for a record 23 crore ($2.69m) for the 2025 season.
He is expected to continue to be available for franchise cricket.
Enoch Nkwe, South Africa’s director national teams, described Klaasen as "a true match-winner for South Africa. He was capable of changing the course of a game in a matter of overs."
Klaasen was not among the players awarded a CSA contract in April and the governing body said at the time that discussions regarding his future were ongoing.
South African coach Shukri Conrad said after being appointed white-ball coach last month in addition to his role as Test coach, that he expected players to prioritise playing for South Africa above T20 leagues.
