All you need to know about Durban’s Super Giants ahead of the 2024 edition of the SA20, including predictions, players to watch, strengths, weaknesses and other factors worth understanding about the team that finished in second-last position last season.
Position last season
Durban’s Super Giants ended the 2023 SA20’s six-team standings in fifth position. They won four matches and lost five – and shared a washout with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Durban failed to gain a semi-final berth.
Notable squad additions
Local all-rounder Jason Smith has joined the Super Giants. Smith had a promising career at the Cape Cobras, but ultimately didn’t go further. He has since moved to the Dolphins, who are also based in Durban, and is having a fruitful season.
Bryce Parsons is another local talent secured by the Super Giants. Parsons, too, plays for the Dolphins. He is on record for saying he models his game around the instincts he sees in Proteas star Quinton de Kock.
Proteas all-rounder Jon-Jon Smuts has moved to the Super Giants from the Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Smuts’ arrival at the Durban franchise offers them more with bat and ball. His experience in international cricket should help, too.
The Super Giants won’t have batter Christiaan Jonker and fast bowler Hardus Viljoen this season. They have also replaced de Kock as captain with spinner Keshav Maharaj. They’ve also added the latest young gun off the Afghan spin factory’s conveyer belt, Noor Ahmad. Former Proteas head coach Graham Ford has been retained as the Super Giants’ coach.
𝘍𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 🇦🇫 ✈️ 🇿🇦
— Durban's Super Giants (@DurbansSG) December 9, 2023
Welcome to the Super Giants family, Noor! 💙 pic.twitter.com/8MVF7TrqsZ
Players to watch
All-rounder Dwaine Pretorius will be key to Durban’s pursuit of a maiden SA20 title. He has retired from international cricket now – so the pressure is off there. Pretorius has some recent captaincy experience, too. He led Team Abu Dhabi in the Abu Dhabi T10 in late 2023.
West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers is a significant asset for Durban. He was in such good form for the Lucknow Super Giants during the Indian Premier League that de Kock was kept out of the playing XI. Mayers bowls seam, too, and his clever changes in pace could be successful in conditions at Kingsmead and surrounds.
Heinrich Klaasen has had a prolific 12 months, internationally and domestically. He will go into this tournament in outstanding form. He has received public praise globally from Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and other greats of the game.
Wiaan Mulder is back in the Proteas’ favour and, alongside West Indian recruit, should pair well with the Super Giants’ plans. Specialist batters and bowlers are vital in T20 cricket, but perhaps not as much as all-rounders who are equally talented across both codes.
Junior Dala is an experienced campaigner in South African domestic cricket and has been capped by the Proteas. His awkward bowling action and raw pace can trouble batters. Dala is effectively in the twilight of his career, but has a few valuable years to go.
Klaasen magic ➜ loading soon at the SA20 ⏳👀 pic.twitter.com/X97oABrX9Y
— Durban's Super Giants (@DurbansSG) December 16, 2023
Strengths
Any team that has access to the vast talent of Klaasen should be considered genuine title contenders. He has the ability and adaptability to turn contests on their head across short periods. His range hitting is immense. Klaasen scored 363 runs in nine innings for Durban in the 2023 SA20. The Proteas star looks set for another impressive tournament here.
The elevation of Maharaj to the captaincy is a shrewd move from the Super Giants. He has a big following in Durban and has captained the Proteas, too. With de Kock’s focus changing, this was the right time to appoint a new leader – and bodes well for the Durban team’s ambition this season.
Weaknesses
England seamer Reece Topley was Durban’s joint-leading wicket-taker last season alongside Pretorius. Topley was in promising form in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, too, before sustaining another injury. If he hasn’t returned from the sidelines by the time the 2024 SA20 starts, Durban will have to plan around Topley’s absence.
While the Super Giants gained Smuts, they lost Simon Harmer, who went to the Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Harmer is a renowned red-ball cricketer, but also adds immense value in the white-ball game. Harmer’s exit will give fellow off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen and new recruit Noor Ahmad to deliver more breakthroughs, though.
Prediction
If Durban’s Super Giants get their campaign off to a strong start, a semi-final berth – at least – should beckon. They were unable to finish among the top four teams last season, but this season are looking in a stronger position to do so. Klaasen and Pretorius are going to have to be instrumental with bat and ball, respectively, for this to happen.
Highest wicket-taker
Subrayen took six wickets in six matches for Durban last season. He is a longstanding servant of South African domestic cricket. He has been included in the Proteas squad previously but hasn’t yet been capped in international cricket. If he has a particularly good SA20 this time, 2024 could be his year for a national call-up.
Highest run-scorer
Klaasen – and only Klaasen. Look no further than this big-hitting, prolific right-hander. He is world-class and, on his day, which is often, can decimate any and all bowling attacks.
