In a clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the ongoing IPL 2026, Heinrich Klaasen struck a fluent 69 off 43 balls at a strike rate of 160.47, helping SRH set a target of 236 on May 6 in Hyderabad.
After the innings, while speaking to the broadcasters, Klaasen lauded the ease with which Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma batted. They added 54 runs in just 3.3 overs for the first wicket. “Once again, a fantastic start from Travishek. They make it look so easy,” he said. Drawing a comparison, Klaasen added, “I said to Livingstone, it’s like watching Tiger Woods hitting a pitching wedge into the green hole.”
However, Klaasen admitted that the innings lost momentum at key moments. “We lost wickets at crucial stages again and it got a little bit hard in the middle. The ball got soft and it starts stopping a little bit,” he explained.
He also offered his assessment of the pitch, calling it largely batting-friendly despite some slowdown. “It’s a medium-paced wicket, not a lot of bounce. The wicket doesn’t do a lot, maybe it stops a little bit, so it’s a fantastic wicket to bat on,” he said, adding humorously, “Probably I’m going to put it in my pocket and take it everywhere.”
Klaasen emphasised the importance of finishing strong, stating, “It will be better if we can take the win tonight.” On the bowling front, he stressed sticking to basics: “Exactly our normal game plan. They just need to do what they normally do on this wicket.”
The innings also saw Klaasen retain the Orange Cap, taking his tally to 494 runs in 11 matches at an average of 54.88 along with a strike rate of 157.32, underlining his consistency this season.
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