Former South African skipper AB de Villiers has named a player who can be a game-changer in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023. The 360-degree batter named his fellow countryman Heinrich Klaasen, as a player who can dominate any bowling attack on his given day.
South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has been brilliant lately and is now scoring runs purely for fun. He began his purple patch from the start of 2023 making impactful performances for his team in the white-ball format of the game, proving to be the cleanest striker in the death overs, proving to be a nightmare for the high-quality bowlers.
Speaking to ICC, AB de Villiers believes that Heinrich Klaasen can take the game away from the opponents if he can bat for 45 minutes in the game.
Besides, he feels that he is the most impactful player in the world, who can win matches for the team single-handedly and his ability to play spin was lauded by the former South Africa skipper who urged him to help their Proteas side to win the ODI World Cup 2023.
“When Heinrich Klaasen comes in and if he bats for 45 minutes, it’s game over. I can’t thank anyone who tops him. He is just explosive in that middle, certainly the most impactful player at the moment. Very, very explosive.
“He knows his game definitely the best player of spin in the world at the moment as well just all around in the form of his life and can hopefully can take that through to the final. It’ll boost well for South Africa,” Ab de Villiers said.
Given his recent form, he might be the best spin bowler outside of the subcontinent—indeed, he might even be better than players who have played their whole careers against spin on turning tracks.
The issue with Klaasen is that he gives off the impression of being a seasoned batter right away. He rarely needs much time to get into a rhythm and quickly adapt to the needs of the game.
Proteas middle-order Heinrich Klaasen has scored 316 runs at an average of 45.14 with an impressive higher strike rate to win a few games for his side in recent times. The 32-year-old would be keen to continue his fine form going into the business end of the tournament.