Overview
- Kevin Pietersen, posting on X on Thursday, urged Cricket South Africa to call Heinrich Klaasen to rejoin the national team for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
- His plea followed Wednesday’s Indian Premier League chase where Klaasen hit a match-winning 30-ball 65 for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Mumbai Indians’ 244 target.
- Klaasen is in prime IPL form with 414 runs in nine innings at an average of about 59 and a strike rate of 157, placing him second in the Orange Cap race.
- The 34-year-old retired from international cricket in 2025 to prioritize family and league play, and in an IPL-shared video he said he is not returning to South Africa duty.
- The push gains weight with a recent precedent of Quinton de Kock reversing retirement, while a home World Cup shared by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia heightens selection stakes.