Heinrich Klaasen joins Chris Gayle in the elite list
Heinrich Klaasen led South Africa in the first Twenty20 International match against India at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday, November 8, scoring 25 runs off of 22 balls. However, his efforts were in vain as India won the first Twenty20 International of the current four-match series by 61 runs after dismissing the hosts for 141 runs in 17.5 overs. Klassen hit one six and two fours when he was at the crease.
His lone six on Friday put him on an exclusive list with cricket superstar Chris Gayle of the West Indies. The right-hander smashed 100 sixes in a single year, making him the fourth hitter in the world and the first South African. Klaasen has hit 100 sixes in 53 Twenty24 T20 outings so far.
Gayle hit 100 or more sixes in a single year six times when he was playing (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017). Nicholas Pooran has 165 sixes in 68 T20 matches played so far in 2024, whereas Andre Russell hit 101 sixes in 46 T20 matches in 2019.
| YEAR | PLAYER | MATCHES | RUNS | SIXES |
| 2024 | Nicholas Pooran | 68 | 2251 | 165 |
| 2015 | Chris Gayle | 36 | 1665 | 135 |
| 2012 | Chris Gayle | 40 | 1532 | 121 |
| 2011 | Chris Gayle | 31 | 1497 | 116 |
| 2016 | Chris Gayle | 48 | 1304 | 112 |
| 2017 | Chris Gayle | 44 | 1291 | 101 |
| 2019 | Andre Russell | 46 | 1080 | 101 |
| 2013 | Chris Gayle | 33 | 1344 | 100 |
| 2024 | Heinrich Klaasen | 53 | 1362 | 100* |
Most sixes in a T20 season
Klaasen played for the Durban Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Titans, and Seattle Orcas in 2024 in addition to playing for South Africa in 10 Twenty20 Internationals, where he hit 14 sixes. He amassed 38 sixes in 16 games for SRH, 3 sixes for the Seattle Orcas, 8 sixes for the Titans, and 37 sixes in 13 Twenty20 matches for the Durban Super Giants.
Statistics for Heinrich Klaasen in 2024
Pooran has struck 165 sixes so far in 2024, setting the record for most sixes hit in a calendar year in T20 cricket. In addition to holding the record for most runs scored in a calendar year in T20 cricket, the former captain of the West Indies was signed by the Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 21 crore ahead of the next IPL 2025 super auction.
| SERIES | TEAM | MATCHES | RUNS | SIXES |
| SA20 | Durban Super Giants | 13 | 447 | 37 |
| IPL | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 16 | 479 | 38 |
| T20 World Cup + 1st T20I vs India | South Africa | 10 | 215 | 14 |
| MLC | Seattle Orcas | 7 | 97 | 3 |
| CSA T20 Challenge | Titans | 7 | 124 | 8 |
Retained for Rs 23 crore was Klaasen.
Ahead of the IPL 2025 super auction, the Hyderabad-based team has retained Klaasen, who joined SRH in the IPL 2023 auction, for Rs 23 crore. Klaasen was rewarded with a huge deal by Orange Army because of his impressive achievements in the past two IPL seasons. Due to his Rs 23 crore retention, Klaasen is now the second most expensive player in IPL history.
