India vs South Africa: Heinrich Klaasen hopes Barabati knock prolongs his career

Dropped
after
the
T20
World
Cup
last
year,
Klaasen
also
found
himself
out
of
the
ODI
side
and
also
lost
his
central
contract.
He
would
not
have
got
a
look-in
had
Quinton
de
Kock
not
injured
his
wrist
before
the
game
on
Sunday
(June
12)
as
the
30-year-old
finally
got
a
chance.

He
took
the
game
away
from
India
with
his
fiery
46-ball
81,
his
career-best
T20
score.

“It
was
difficult
(pitch)
to
bat.
I
found
myself
struggling
up
front.
Then
I
decided
if
I
go
out
today
I
would
rather
go
my
way
and
try
to
be
positive.
It’s
just
one
of
those
days
that
it
came
off,”
he
said
at
the
post-match
media
interaction.

“It’s
a
blessing
from
above
that
this
innings
came
at
this
time
for
me
in
my
career…
That
puts
me
on
the
map
ahead
of
international
cricket.
So
hopefully
this
will
just
prolong
my
career
a
little
bit
longer.”

He
said
he
got
an
indication
about
playing
a
couple
of
days
back
after
de
Kock
injured
his
hand
and
it
was
on
the
eve
of
the
match
he
was
confirmed
a
place
in
the
XI.

“Quinny
came
up
to
me
two
days
back
on
the
team
bus
and
said
he
had
injured
his
wrists.
I
thought
he
is
a
strong
character
and
he
would
be
fine.
But
yesterday
again,
he
said
his
hand
is
not
fine.
Yesterday
morning,
we
came
to
training
and
the
coach
told
me
I
might
play,”
he
said.

From
four
off
12
balls,
Klaasen
stepped
it
up
against
the
spinners
and
completed
his
fifty
in
32
balls.
To
his
advantage,
Bhuvneshwar
Kumar,
who
returned
with
magical
figures
of
4/13,
was
taken
out
of
the
attack
after
giving
a
triple
blow
up
front.

Bhuvneshwar
returned
only
in
the
18th
over
and
by
then
Klaasen
innings
virtually
sealed
it
for
the
visitors.

“I
also
knew
we
needed
to
target
the
spinners.
The
seamers
had
a
little
bit
up
and
down
so
we
can
take
a
little
bit
less
risk
against
them
and
it
came
off
today,”
he
added.