In addition to India, South Africa was one of the key draws of the 2023 ICC World Cup during the league round of the tournament. South Africa's batting captivated the attention of fans, but it was India's speed bowling.

With a string of spectacular displays of power-hitting, the Proteas' hitters thrilled the Indian crowd. The middle order was strengthened by the addition of the explosive Heinrich Klaasen, along with the outstanding top-order hitters Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, and Rassie van der Dussen.

Following their tournament debut against Sri Lanka, where they scored 428/5 in 50 overs, they ignited the competition by scoring over 300 runs six times in the ten games leading up to the semifinals.

Klaasen in full flight is the finest sight when the bounce is real. He smashed a 67-ball 109 (vs England) and a 49-ball 90 (vs Bangladesh) in consecutive games during the competition, and the pitches at the Wankhede Stadium helped him perform at his best.

Once again, he was the impact player for South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup. With a combative 27-ball 52, he nearly stole the last from India.

Klaasen, 33, made a stunning announcement on Monday that he was quitting international cricket, adding to the increasing number of elite all-format athletes looking to focus on lucrative T20 leagues around the globe.

He is one of the most sought-after players on the T20 franchise circuit due to his reputation as one of the game's most formidable batters. Klaasen is a member of The Hundred (Manchester Originals) and Major League Cricket (for Seattle Orcas), in addition to the Indian Premier League (Sunrisers Hyderabad).

"Today is a sad day for me as I declare that I have chosen to retire from international cricket," stated Klassen, who has represented his country in four Tests, 60 One-Day Internationals, and 58 Twenty20 Internationals. "It took me a long time to determine what was in my best interests and the best interests of my family for the future. It was a really tough choice, but one that I am completely at peace with.

“The greatest honor of my career has been and will always be to play with the Proteas emblem on my chest. I look forward to having more time with my family as a result of this choice.

Top players are increasingly favoring professional T20 leagues that pay well throughout the globe above international cricket. The conflict of schedules between T20 leagues and bilateral series has left players in a dilemma.

Because of a conflict with SA20, South Africa was forced to bring a Test team to New Zealand without the majority of its frontline players last season, which put the country in an awkward position. This season also sees a conflict in schedules. In July, South Africa will play two Tests and a T22I tri-series in Zimbabwe, followed by three T20Is and three ODIs in Australia and England in August and September. The Caribbean Premier League, The Hundred, and MLC are all in conflict with those series, though.

Klaasen is following in the footsteps of fellow South African Quinton de Kock. In the 2023 ODI and 2024 T20 World Cups, the talented left-handed opener was the star. De Kock had won over Indian supporters in the 2023 World Cup by smashing four centuries. Following the competition, however, De Kock opted to quit ODIs. He had declared a stunning retirement from Tests in late 2021. Following the World Cup final last year, he hasn't participated in any T20Is either.

Tabraiz Shamsi and Anrich Nortje have also chosen to forgo central contracts, but they are still available for selection for South Africa. Following India, Australia, and England, South Africa is still a hotbed for cricket talent. Dewald Brevis, 22, who is currently highly sought after by franchises, is the most recent instance. He represented Chennai Super Kings in the IPL this year. The findings demonstrate it. After coming in second place in the 2024 T20 World Cup, SA will compete against Australia at Lord's this month in the World Test Championship final.

The International Cricket Council should be concerned about players abandoning their national teams in favor of T20 leagues. Additionally, players from the West Indies and New Zealand have chosen franchise cricket over international matches.

Actually, last year, Kane Williamson, New Zealand's top hitter, turned down a central contract. The all-time best Test run-scorer for New Zealand stated that he wanted to represent his nation but hoped to "pursue an overseas opportunity" during the home summer. One of the first Kiwis to renounce a central contract was the left-arm pacer Trent Boult.

The caliber of international tournaments will suffer as national teams become less diverse due to the absence of well-known cricketers. The worry is that, in the near future, the franchise teams will seem superior to the majority of national squads.

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