Sydney/Cape Town, June 2, 2025: Two of modern cricket’s most dynamic middle-order batters, Australia’s Glenn Maxwell and South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen, have announced their retirements from international formats, bringing an end to influential careers in white-ball cricket.
Australia’s Glenn Maxwell, 36, has retired from One-Day Internationals (ODIs) to focus on the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, as well as his commitments to global T20 leagues. In a statement issued by Cricket Australia, Maxwell explained that the physical demands of the 50-over format and a past leg injury played key roles in his decision.
Maxwell played 149 ODIs, scoring 3,990 runs at a blistering strike rate of 126.7, second only to Andre Russell’s among top-tier players. His unforgettable 201 not out against Afghanistan in the 2023 World Cup remains one of the most iconic innings in ODI history.
Reflecting on his career, he said, “I was picked ahead of my time and out of the blue. I thought I was just going to play a couple of games. Since then, I’ve been through ups and downs and had the honour of representing Australia in multiple World Cups.”
CA CEO Todd Greenberg hailed Maxwell’s career as “one of the most exciting and influential” in ODI history, praising his match-winning flair and contributions to Australia’s 2023 World Cup triumph.
In contrast, South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen, 33, has retired from all forms of international cricket, ending a seven-year tenure with the Proteas. This follows his earlier retirement from red-ball cricket in 2024.
Klaasen, known for his power-hitting and spin dominance, played 60 ODIs, amassing over 2,000 runs at an average close to 44. His standout knock — a ferocious 174 against Australia at SuperSport Park in 2023 — ranks as the second-highest ODI score by a No. 5 batter. He also appeared in 58 T20Is, with a career strike rate of 141.84.
Cricket South Africa called him “one of the most destructive white-ball players of his generation,” noting that his calculated aggression made him a key part of South Africa’s limited-overs strategy.
As the cricketing world turns its attention to a new generation, the exits of Maxwell and Klaasen mark the end of two impactful careers shaped by fearless batting and memorable innings on the international stage.
