Heinrich Klaasen hasn't been as consistent in recent times.
Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) will face Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) in the 18th match of SA20 2026. Both teams had contrasting results in the previous game: DSG lost the last encounter by 15 runs, while SEC won by 10 wickets.
Durban’s Super Giants: Kane Williamson, Marques Ackerman, Jos Buttler, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Evan Jones, David Wiese, Sunil Narine, Gerald Coetzee, Kwena Maphaka, Noor Ahmad
Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Quinton de Kock (wk), Jonny Bairstow, Matthew Breetzke, Jordan Hermann, Tristan Stubbs (c), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Lewis Gregory, Anrich Nortje, Adam Milne, Lutho Sipamla
The pitches in Durban have been mixed in two completed matches. There was some assistance for bowlers in the first game, before batters enjoyed the next. Pacers have been more dominant, with 68% of wickets falling to them at 20.64 runs apiece this season.
Expect some new-ball help for fast bowlers again before the pitch becomes easier for batting. Overall, the deck should favour batters more. The team winning the toss might elect to field first, with around 180 being a fighting score.
ALSO READ:
Durban’s Super Giants batter Heinrich Klaasen has endured a poor run of form, even if occasional flashes of brilliance have come. More importantly, he has struggled against left-arm spin since last year. Usually a quality spin player, Klaasen has recently developed this issue and has found it tough to get going against left-arm spinners.
Since 2025, Klaasen has had an average of 28 and a strike rate of 113.13 against left-arm orthodox in T20s. He has been dismissed four times in 99 deliveries and played 32.3% dot balls in this phase. His strike rate hasn’t been lower on any other bowling type, and he has taken the most balls (9) for every boundary against them.
To understand the dominance, consider his numbers against left-arm orthodox between 2023 and 2024: 58.42 average, 187.61 strike rate, and 4.03 balls-per-boundary. He played only 25.2% dot balls in that phase. Hence, the downgrade is massive, and teams have lately been exploiting it.
Fortunately for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Senuran Muthusamy is their left-arm spin option to use against Heinrich Klaasen. He has dismissed him once in 32 balls in T20s. So, Sunrisers Eastern Cape should bring him straight away, even if for one over.
Since 2025, Klaasen has had a strike rate of 99.37 and five dismissals in the first 10 balls against spinners. So, he is vulnerable early in the innings and can be targeted by someone like Muthusamy. Klaasen’s recent form has been mediocre anyway, and Sunrisers Eastern Cape will have the opportunity to extend his below-par form.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
