South Africa National Cricket Team skipper Temba Bavuma has provided a huge update on the fitness of the explosive middle-order batsman Heinrich Klaasen.
Temba Bavuma issued the update on Klaasen after the seventh match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 between Australia and South Africa on Tuesday, February 25, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Also Read: ICC Champions Trophy Points Table 2025: Updated Standings After Australia vs South Africa, Match 7
Yeah, it is frustrating – Temba Bavuma on washout in AUS vs SA match
Rain had the last say in the first-ever ICC Champions Trophy match between Australia and South Africa and without the toss the match was called off as there was no way the ground could have been readied even for a 20-over contest due to continuous rain in the city.
Speaking after the match, Temba Bavuma expressed his frustration over the washout, saying that they would’ve loved to play against Australia as a victory in the match would’ve boosted their confidence. He stated:
“Yeah, it is frustrating. We would have loved to get a game here. Two sides who are coming here with confidence, you would want to see who would have been the winner today.
“I think I mean, don’t have to say much for motivation. When you are playing against Australia, it gets the guys jumping. We were looking forward to it. From the confidence point of view, just wanted to build on that. Against Afghanistan, I feel we were clinical. Against a tough Australian side, a win would have done wonders to our confidence.”
Heinrich Klaasen, he has recovered – Temba Bavuma
Temba Bavuma said they didn’t think about different scenarios for a shortened game during the rain break because they have a lot of flexibility in the side with almost everyone playing T20 cricket. He said:
“We didn’t really get to that point. We had a team in mind, rain or no rain. We have enough guys from the flexibility point of view. Everyone plays T20 these days.”
The star middle-order batter Heinrich Klaasen missed South Africa’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against Afghanistan due to a soft tissue injury to his left elbow.
Speaking after the washout, Temba Bavuma revealed that Heinrich Klaasen has fully recovered in a huge boost for the Proteas. He added that they will have an eye on the match between Australia and Afghanistan as it will give them an idea about what needs to be done against England in their final match.
“Heinrich Klaasen, he has recovered. That adds a lot of value to our team. The spirits are good. We will get to see them tomorrow when they go against Afghanistan, it will give us a fair idea of what the table looks like. As a group, we have to play our best. We have a couple of days to put our feet up and prepare for that clash against England,” Temba Bavuma said.
How Did South Africa Perform In Their Previous ODI Against Australia?
South Africa’s previous ODI match against Australia was held on November 16, during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
The Proteas entered the semi-final clash with high hopes, but their batting struggles cost them the match. They opted to bat first and immediately found themselves on the back foot with captain Temba Bavuma (0), Quinton de Kock (3), Rassie van der Dussen (6), and Aiden Markram (10) being dismissed for low scores, leaving South Africa reeling at 24/4.
However, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller steadied the innings with a crucial partnership. Klaasen played a good knock of 47 before falling to Travis Head, but Miller extended his stay in the middle.
David Miller slammed a magnificent century (101 off 116 balls), and he was supported by small contributions from Gerald Coetzee (19) and Kagiso Rabada (10), which pushed South Africa’s total to 212 before being bowled out in the final over.
While defending, South Africa’s bowlers were demolished by Travis Head and David Warner, before Aiden Markram dismissed David Warner (29) while Kagiso Rabada sent Mitchell Marsh back for a duck.
The Proteas kept chipping in, with Tabraiz Shamsi and Gerald Coetzee taking crucial wickets to bring Australia to 193/7. Keshav Maharaj also claimed the vital scalp of Travis Head for 62.
Despite their best efforts, South Africa could not stop Australia, and Pat Cummins, along with Mitchell Starc, steered Australia to a stunning victory, crushing the World Cup dream of the Proteas.
