Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) Heinrich Klaasen will have a “night to remember” in his team’s IPL 2026 opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Bengaluru on Saturday. (IPL 2026 points table)

Heinrich Klaasen, who has been with Sunrisers Hyderabad since 2023, has scored more than 400 runs in each of the past three seasons.

This includes seven half-centuries and two centuries. Overall, the South Africa cricketer has scored 1480 runs from 49 matches in the IPL at a strike-rate of 169.72.

“I have a strange feeling for this match. In the last 18 months, this guy has not done much wonders. A strange feeling that Heinrich Klaasen is going to have a night to remember, I don’t know why,” Ashwin said in a video that was uploaded on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat.

Heinrich Klaasen’s promotion in batting lineup in IPL 2025

Klaasen initially batted in the lower middle-order for SRH in the early part of IPL 2025, but he was gradually promoted to bat up the order. In SRH’s final match of the season against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) last year, Klaasen slammed an unbeaten 105 runs from just 39 balls while batting at No.3.

In IPL 2024, wherein SRH finished runners-up, Klaasen was the third highest run-getter with 479 runs from 16 matches at a strike-rate of 171.07. In IPL 2025, he did even better as he went onto become the top run-getter for the Pat Cummins-led side, with 487 runs from 14 matches at a strike-rate of 172.70.

The 34-year-old had announced his retirement from international cricket in June 2025 in order to prioritise his future in playing T20 leagues across the world.

Jacob Bethell will be ‘power player’ against SRH: R Ashwin

The former Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals player picked England’s Jacob Bethell to be RCB’s “power player” against SRH. “From RCB’s side, I think Jacob Bethell will be the power player of the day,” he stated.

The 22-year-old made his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru on 27 April, 2025 against Delhi Capitals (DC). He played just two matches last season and scored 67 runs. Coming into the RCB playing XI against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a replacement for Phil Salt, Bethell scored 55 runs from 33 balls.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will miss the services of Pat Cummins, who is still regaining full fitness from a back injury that kept him out of the T20 World Cup that concluded recently. Ishan Kishan will lead the former champions in Cummins’ absence.