In the fourth one-day international, Klaasen guided South Africa to a 164-run victory over Australia, tying the series at 2-2 going into the decider.
In the fourth one-day international, Heinrich Klaasen scored an incredible 83-ball 174 to lead South Africa to a 164-run victory over Australia, tying the series at 2-2 going into the final match on Sunday. The greatest performance by a hitter entering the batting order after the 25th over of an ODI was made by Klaasen. AB de Villiers and Jos Buttler owned the previous record of 162*. The keeper-batter came very close to breaking the record held by the legendary Kapil Dev for the highest ODI score while batting at No. 5 or lower. In the 1983 World Cup match against Zimbabwe, the former India captain had a 175-batting average.
On Friday, the Proteas scored a staggering 416/5 in large part because of Klaasen, who batted at No. 5 and scored the fourth-highest ODI innings by a South African player with 13 fours and 13 sixes.
Having led the South Africans to their third-highest ODI total, he was caught on the boundary rope off the last delivery of the innings.
Australia lost its 2-0 lead in the five-match series before the Cricket World Cup in India next month after being bowled out for 252 in 34.5 overs.
The more pressing issue, however, was a brutal hit to Travis Head’s left hand from a lifter by Gerald Coetzee that prompted the Australian opener to retire hurt. Australia is still deciding if he will be able to participate in the forthcoming World Cup, which will take place in India in three weeks. Scans have already revealed a fracture.
Cricket Australia cited head coach Andrew McDonald as stating, “He’s going in for some more scans tomorrow to work out the detail of (the injury) and then we’ll work out the management from there.” We have not yet established the length of the recuperation time frame.
David Miller (82 not out in 45 balls) and Klaasen added 222 runs together for the fifth wicket. Rassie van der Dussen slugged a 62 in a 65.
2 79 was Josh Hazlewood’s score. The most costly bowler was leg spinner Adam Zampa, whose 10 overs produced a score of 0-113. Nine of South Africa’s 20 total sixes were included in that.
For Australia, Tim David scored 35 points, and wicketkeeper Alex Carey struck 99 home runs in 77 at-bats. Lungi Ngidi (4-51) and Kagiso Rabida (3-41) of South Africa, two quicks, caused the majority of the damage.
In the third game of the series in Potchefstroom, the right-handed Klaasen, a local of Pretoria whose family was present for his record-breaking innings, was lbw for a second-ball duck to Head.
“I had a shocker of a day the other day in Potch so it’s lucky to bounce back immediately and play an innings like that,” Klaasen said to the on-field announcer. It ranks among my better ones, without a doubt.
