Kevin Pietersen has issued a stirring call to Heinrich Klaasen: come out of retirement and help South Africa chase their first-ever Cricket World Cup title. The former England star was left in awe after Klaasen's explosive 65* powered Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to a record-breaking chase against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026—and now he wants the Proteas to bring their big-hitter back.

It was a night to remember in Mumbai. Chasing a massive 243/5—powered by Ryan Rickelton's stunning, unbeaten 123 (the fastest century in IPL history)—SRH got off to a flying start thanks to Abhishek Sharma (45) and Travis Head (76). But it was Klaasen who stole the show, smashing seven fours and four sixes in a blistering, unbeaten 65 to guide his team to a six-wicket win with eight balls to spare. The chase was the fourth-highest successful run chase in IPL history, on a flat pitch that gave bowlers little help.

"South Africa have never won a Cricket World Cup," Pietersen wrote on social media. "There should be a phone call this morning, from the South African cricket board, to Heinrich Klaasen, to ask him if he can rejoin international cricket and be a central figure in their campaign to try and win their first-ever World Cup, which will be in South Africa next year."

Klaasen officially retired from international cricket on June 2 last year, stepping away to focus on family time and franchise T20 leagues. He represented South Africa in 4 Tests, 60 ODIs, and 58 T20Is between 2018 and 2025. But after a display like this, Pietersen believes the Proteas can't afford to leave their power-hitter on the sidelines—especially with the World Cup set to be played on home soil.

For now, Klaasen remains focused on the IPL. Sunrisers Hyderabad sit third on the points table with six wins from nine matches, boasting a net run rate of +0.832. After the win, Klaasen kept his feet on the ground: "No, not really (on his thoughts after the loss of three quick wickets). There was a big gap in the cow corner—so you have to take a risk a little bit earlier. The wicket was good."

Whether Klaasen answers that World Cup call remains to be seen—but one thing is clear: his bat is still doing all the talking.