His innings came as a big contribution to South Africa's comprehensive seven-wicket win over England.
Heinrich Klaasen has revealed his ambition to prove he is “the best in the world” after scoring 64 off 56 balls in South Africa’s seven-wicket win over England. His fifth consecutive ODI fifty helped South Africa secure a spot in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy 2025.
Klaasen missed South Africa’s opening game due to an elbow injury but continued his strong ODI form against England in Karachi. Batting at No.4, he scored his fifth consecutive half-century and played fluently, helping South Africa chase the 180-run target in under 30 overs.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Klaasen revealed his dream of being among the best in the world. His inning was a big contribution to South Africa’s comprehensive win, placing them in the semi-finals of the ICC event. By hitting his fifth successive ODI half-century, Klaasen proved himself again as consistent and capable of performing under pressure, reinforcing his belief that he belongs among the top players in international cricket.
“I gave myself a challenge with Rob Walter this trip: I want to be the best in the world,” Klaasen said.
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The wicket-keeper batter expressed his confidence in his ability and his goal of becoming the best player in the world. He believes he has the skill to handle different match situations effectively. In this game, he focused on playing grounded shots rather than taking unnecessary risks, which helped him build his innings. He is satisfied with how he played, stressing that his success was a result of not moving from the crease and banking on his natural technique. Klaasen believes in his batting approach, especially his swing, and is content when all the pieces fall into place as they did in this game.
“But I want to be the best in the world, and I know I can play situations well and for me, just to keep hitting it on the ground for as long as possible, like I did tonight [is important]. I’m quite pleased with my innings tonight. [I scored runs] by standing still and just trusting my technique. I know my swing is good, so as long as it clicks then I am quite happy,” he added.
Klaasen acknowledges that he is in a great phase with his batting and has a clear understanding of his game. He doesn’t rely on facing South Africa’s fast bowlers in the nets but instead focuses on specific drills and practice against spin. Off late, he feels in top form, consistently hitting the ball from the middle of the bat. For him, maintaining proper technique is the key and as long as he gets that right, he is satisfied with his performance.
“I think I’m very blessed at the moment where I’m with my game, and understanding my game quite well. I’m not a guy that faces all our seamers in the nets. I just do a couple of drills and face a little bit of spin. At the moment, I’m meeting the ball out of the middle of the bat. That’s my piece that I go with, and as long as my technique is good, I’m quite happy,” he further stated.
South Africa awaits the result of the match between India and New Zealand, as it will determine their semi-final opponent and whether they will play in Dubai or Lahore.
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