South Africa batter Heinrich Klaasen has retired from all forms of international cricket, a blow for the country ahead of their co-hosting of the 2027 World Cup where he would have been a major draw card. Klaasen, 33, is one of the world’s most destructive batters in white-ball cricket and a mainstay of the South African limited-overs side in recent years. He is likely to maintain a presence on the global Twenty20 league circuit. “It is a sad day for me as I announce that I have decided to step away from international cricket,” he said in a Cricket South Africa statement on Monday. “It took me a long time to decide what’s best for me and my family for the future. It was truly a very difficult decision but also one that I have absolute peace with. “I look forward to spending more time with my family as this decision will allow me to do so.” South Africa’s Director of National Teams and High Performance Enoch Nkwe said he understood the reasons for Klaasen’s decision. “He has been transparent with Cricket South Africa throughout the past few months, and we fully respect his decision to retire from international cricket,” Nkwe said. “We wish him continued success in the next chapter of his journey.” Klaasen averaged 43.69 with four centuries and 11 fifties in 60 one-day internationals, and scored exactly 1,000 runs in 58 T20 internationals at a strike rate of 141.84. He also played four Test matches for South Africa.