Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 28 (ANI): Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season opener between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin said that batter Heinrich Klaasen could have a 'night to remember' despite having not delivered much in T20 format over last one year or so.

Ashwin was speaking on his YouTube Channel, 'Ash ki Baat'. The SRH batting order is a power-packed one, consisting of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma as openers, to be followed by Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Liam Livingstone and Aniket Verma. The Men in Orange have one of the finest batting line-ups in terms of strike rate, and a 300-run score in the IPL could be on cards if they fire all cylinders.

However, Klaasen has not been able to fire consistently since his retirement from international cricket. Once a fiery T20 league globe-trotter, Klaasen has been struggling for runs for the most part. In 65 matches after the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where his side failed to cross the line despite his valiant fifty, Klaasen has made 1,440 runs in 59 innings at an average of 28.80 and a strike rate of 148.76, with a century and seven fifties.

He had a disappointing SA20 season four with the bat recently, scoring just 138 runs in seven innings at an average of 19.71 and a strike rate of 128.97, with a best score of 29.

Speaking on 'Ash ki Baat', Ashwin said that while Klaasen could be the power player of the day for SRH, it could be England's rising sensation Jacob Bethell for RCB, who had a brilliant T20 World Cup, top-scoring in the tournament for England with 280 runs in eight innings, including a masterclass 48-ball 105 in the semifinal against India at Wankhede Stadium while chasing 250-odd runs.

'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. From RCB's side, I think Jacob Bethell will be the power player of the day,' he said.

Ashwin noted that in past two matches, SRH has got better of RCB by posting gigantic totals, of 231 in the 2025 edition at Lucknow with a fine 94 from Ishan Kishan being a highlight act and a massive 287 at Bengaluru in 2024 edition. SRH won both of matches by 42 runs and 25 runs respectively. The all-rounder sees this trend continuing, pointing out that RCB is without Hazlewood.

'SRH have got the better of RCB in the recent past, and they will follow in this game also, I feel that this game will also follow that trend, for strange reasons that RCB are without Hazlewood. In that game in Lucknow last year, as well, Hazlewood was not there, if I am not wrong,' he said.

He also said that apart from Indian veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar, RCB does not have much strength to control the run leaking in the end.

'In RCB, we always have to remember that death overs bleed. If wickets are in hand, then it is not only difficult to stop runs in the death overs, it is impossible,' he signed off. (ANI)