'I couldn't even get tickets to the game'
Two weeks ago South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen could not even get tickets for the Pink ODI but as fate would have it‚ he turned out to be the hero in the Proteas' five-wicket victory over India in the do-or-die fourth ODI in Johannesburg's famous Bullring on Saturday.
Klaasen delivered a delightful unbeaten knock of 43 from 27 balls‚ showing off a wide range of strokeplay that even returning teammate AB de Viliers would be proud of to plunder five boundaries and one six‚ as South Africa took the series to 3-1 with two matches in Port Elizabeth and Centurion remaining.
During his time on the field as the Proteas successfully chased down their revised target of 202‚ Klaasen shared match-winning partnerships of 72 with David Miller (39) and an unbeaten 33 with Andile Phehlukwayo, who starred himself with a five-ball 23, as South Africa registered their first win in the series on a sobering night for the Indian spinners who had dominated the series.
The spinning duo Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav had claimed 21 wickets for just 190 runs in the three preceding ODIs, but hemorrhaged 105 runs in 11.3 overs for the meager return of two wickets in Saturday's one-dayer.
"It was an unbelievable experience for me and something that I have always dreamed of‚" player-of-the-match Klaasen said after the match, adding that he had never played in such of a pumped up crowd before.
"I just said to Aiden Markram that two weeks ago I told my missus that I don't have tickets for the game and now this.
"The crowd was unbelievable. I have never experienced something like this before and there were some stages in the game where the crowd just went ballistic. I couldn't hear any nicks or stuff like that‚ but it was an unbelievable vibe."
The Proteas went into the match under tremendous pressure after their misery from opening three matches was compounded by Quinton de Kock's absence due to injury. However, they kept alive their unbeaten streak in 'Pink ODIs', which first started in 2011 and has since become a tradition, with six matches held so far.
The occasion is not only named for the almost-completely pink kit that the Proteas' don, but is also Cricket South Africa and its players' way of raising awareness for breast cancer and showing support to survivors and patients, with even fans encouraged to wear pink to the ground.
The match also features a drive to collect money for the treatment of men and women suffering from breast cancer and this year raised $136,410, almost double of what was donated the last time around and far more than the targeted $83,000.
Comments