Heinrich Klaasen has established himself as a vital component of the Proteas’ make-up, especially ahead of the 2023 ICC World Cup that starts this week.

Just recently, Klaasen played an integral part in South Africa’s 3-2 ODI home series victory over Australia. He was SA’s highest run-scorer of the series, having scored 243 runs at an average of 48.60. What marked his contribution was his blistering knock of 174 runs from just 84 balls in the fourth match-up.

The 32-year-old, who made his ODI debut in 2018, has played 41 one-day matches for the Proteas to date, but failed to make their 15-man 2019 World Cup squad. Only later on, did this astute wicket-keeper batsman consolidate his spot in the national mix.

Klaasen has a sublime tendency to break some light on the Proteas when they’d already been knocked to their knees. In March 2020, following a torrid 2019 CWC campaign and thrashings by India and England in different tours, he illuminated the South Africans in their home ODI series, also against Australia.

What highlighted his re-entrance into the Proteas side then was an unbeaten knock of 123 in the first game in Paarl. He eventually helped SA whitewash Australia 3-0, having been the highest run-scorer of the whole series by a country mile. 

Like then, he repeated similar feats last month when he came to the party for the Proteas after they’d already suffered heavy losses in their opening two ODIs against Australia. This required the team to win their next three, and his fourth-inning smashing ignited a flame in the camp that wasn’t really there before. 

What makes it sweeter is that on both occasions his redeemed contributions were against SA’s nemesis and the most successful CWC side, Australia. Klaasen was thrown into the deep end of cricket since a young age already, having been required to play for Hoërskool Menlopark’s 1st XI from as soon as Grade 8. 

This had already matured him drastically as a player and his approach to the game for many years to come. And although he has experienced various dips during his career, it is those key moments that he does execute that could prove to be pivotal in ‘do or die’ cricket, such as in World Cups.

“Consistency has always been my problem, but it was just my mindset that I changed a little bit,” Klaasen told Cricket Fanatics Magazine. 

“I always want to make big impacts in games, and make a big impact for the team.

“I think that has led me to a lot of my downfalls as well – and especially the inconsistencies within my game – because sometimes I feel I do need to push a bit earlier than in other times. That’s not necessarily the case of what I [always] had to do.”

He prioritised a better balance, in terms of his mental approach, not just to a particular game, but to an entire series or tournament as well. The Northerns stalwart also emphasized the importance of efficient communication between himself and his teammates, coaches and management with regards to garnering more consistency.

“It’s about keeping your pace, pacing an innings well and allowing the other batters in the team also to do their part.”

Klaasen’s calm and steady demeanor, along with his relentless poise when the iron strikes hot, are qualities to behold for the Proteas at the upcoming CWC. Too often, SA buckled in moments of pressure and expectation at the world showpiece, that resultantly led to their demise each time.

With the Proteas not labeled as favourites heading into this tournament in India – and with the team having had their numerous shortcomings in recent times – Klaasen could very well be one of the players to look to in moments of uncertainty.

“You need to be willing to have an open mind and a [sense] of willingness to explore in your own game,” Klaasen said of his personal approach to international cricket. “You need to be open and creative, because if you don’t you may fall behind.

“In all this new, exciting cricket, there is still a lot of space for old-school cricket. There are many quality cricketers still scoring plenty of runs, and who play old-school cricket.

“Obviously they’ve adapted a bit. This new game is exciting and everything but that’s not what it’s all about – there are still the fundamentals of the game that you need to apply.

“All the biggest and most successful players do that.”

Klaasen, although approaching the dawn of his career, would surely give himself the best possible chance of becoming those ‘biggest’ names of the game if he can guide SA to their first-ever CWC triumph. 

He has the potential to display a high level of big-match temperament (BMT) that is rare to find in players and a quality that can’t be coached, no matter what the level. 

Time will tell for the Proteas, and this tale will start to live out its either memorable – or forgettable – course when SA kick-start their trophy chase against Sri Lanka in Delhi on October 7.