Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) retained five players ahead of the mega auction including three foreigners. However, even captain Pat Cummins did not get a sweeter deal than Heinrich Klaasen. The South Africa batter became the most expensive retained player at Rs 23 crore. However, Klaasen wasn't as consistent as they would have hoped. SRH lacked consistency as unit and faced early elimination from playoffs race. But, Klaasen finished the season in style with a 37-ball ton against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 25 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. The Proteas batter opened up on the lacklustre season, the work he put in the nets and the ideal time he wants to go out to bat.
"The franchise spends a lot of money on this. We had a bad start and middle, we fought to turn it around in the last three games. Nice to give something back to them. There was individual pride as well. I didn't go on in a few games, did so tonight. Plan was to go straight on this ground. I got my trajectory better, didn't take on too many fielders. Pleased with that. I worked a lot on judging length, it's getting me out a couple of times, so I've had to work on it in the nets a lot. After the powerplay is when I'd ideally go, but I get paid to do well whenever I go in," Klaasen said in the post-match presentation as he was adjudged 'Player of the match'.
Klaasen's monstrous knock
Klaasen batted at no.3, ahead of Ishan Kishan. He walked out to bat in the seventh over when Sunil Narine broke the opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma's wicket. With 92/1 on the board, Klaasen took the scoring rate further up a notch. Klaasen reached his fifty from just 17 balls. He did not slow down after Travis Head departed for a 40-ball 76. In the penultimate over, he reached his century from just 37 balls, the joint-third fastest in IPL history. He remained unbeaten for 105 off 39 balls, featuring seven fours and nine sixes.
After his thunderous knock helped SRH post 278/3, Klaasen said that he is a situation player and it is not about the batting position for me but he phase of the innings.
"I’m a situation player, that's the idea in the dugout. If we lose a wicket after the powerplay or just at the end of the powerplay, then I just go in. If we lose a wicket earlier, then it doesn’t quite work out. For me, it’s just a number, it all depends on the team situation," the 33-year-old told the broadcasters during the innings break.
Klaasen's season numbers
Klaasen finished the season as SRH's highest run-getter. He scored 487 runs from 13 innings at an average of 44.27, including one century and one fifty. His strike rate is 172.69.