Sunrisers Hyderabad's South African cricket player Heinrich Klaasen (L) and teammate Indian cricket player Abhishek Sharma gesture at the end of the innings during the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 match against Delhi Capitals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on April 21, 2026. Picture: Noah SEELAM / AFP
Image: Noah SEELAM / AFP
South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen is headed for his best season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he continues to produce the goods in the 2026 edition.
On Tuesday, even though his side had already guaranteed a massive score, Klaasen duly obliged with a stinging knock of 37 not out off just 13 balls as his Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) posted a mammoth 242/2.
The 34-year-old Klaasen helped put on an unbeaten 66 for the third wicket off just 5.2 overs. At the other end, Abhishek Sharma bludgeoned 135 from 68 against the Delhi Capitals (DC) in Hyderabad.
Even though DC made a good go of it, their 195 in reply meant a loss of 47 runs. Proteas duo Tristan Stubbs and David Miller had mixed fortunes in the chase. Miller was out first ball, while Stubbs looked good for his 27 off 16 as he was dismissed.
For Klaasen though, it was just another innings where he did not put a foot wrong.
In fact, his lowest score of this year’s edition is 31, which came in his side’s first game on March 28.
His fine run of form has seen Klaasen pile on 320 runs at an average of 53 and strike rate of 166 with three half centuries to his name so far, batting in the middle order of a powerful SRH batting lineup.
Only Sharma is now ahead of Klaasen on the run scoring charts with 323. Sharma though has had two ducks and a score of seven this season, while Klaasen has been a measure of consistency.