KNOW YOUR TEAM: DURBAN'S SUPER GIANTS

The Durban’s Super Giants missed out the Betway SA20 1 semi-finals by the narrowest of margins as they lost out to Paarl Royals on net run-rate.

The Kingsmead-based team have therefore made significant changes to their personnel in a bid to qualify for the playoffs in Season 2. The most telling is, of course, the switch of captaincy from Quinton de Kock to local hero Keshav Maharaj. Although the left-arm spinner will still rely heavily on De Kock for advice, Maharaj is a shrewd tactical operator and is particularly knowledgeable of the local conditions. Furthermore, the Super Giants have assembled arguably the hottest batting unit in global T20 cricket.

Along with De Kock and the West Indies' Kyle Mayers, who formed a formidable partnership at the top of the order, coach Lance Klusener has now added more Caribbean flair in Nicholas Pooran alongside the red-hot Heinrich Klaasen. There will also be some Sri Lankan spice in the form of top-order batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa and mystery spin from Afghanistan's Noor Ahmad (a recent replacement for Sri Lankan left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka). Their most recent addition is Tony de Zorzi, the South African international batsman, who steps into the breach created by Kyle Abbott's injury.

With the Super Giants armed and ready, the Kingsmead fans, who turned up in their numbers in Season 1, can certainly look forward to Season 2 where their team could easily go all the way.

COACHING STAFF

Lance Klusener (head coach), Vijay Dahiya (IND - assistant coach), Morne Morkel (bowling coach), Jonty Rhodes (fielding coach), Jason Douglas (strength and conditioning coach), Shrinivas Chandrasekaran (IND - performance and strategic analyst)

SEASON 2 SQUAD

Noor Ahmad (AFG), Matthew Breetzke, Junior Dala, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Kyle Mayers (WI), Wiaan Mulder, Naveen-ul-Haq Murid (AFG), Bryce Parsons, Keemo Paul (WI), Nicholas Pooran (WI), Dwaine Pretorius, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (SL), Jon-Jon Smuts, Jason Smith, Prenelan Subrayen, Reece Topley (ENG).

New signings: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (SL - pre-signing), Naveen-ul-Haq Murid (AFG - pre-signing), Jon-Jon Smuts (trade-in), Jason Smith (auction), Bryce Parsons (rookie), Nicholas Pooran (WI - Wildcard), Noor Ahmad (replacement), Tony de Zorzi (replacement).

Outs: Simon Harmer (trade-out), Christiaan Jonker, Jason Holder (WI), Ben McDermott (AUS), Akila Dananjaya (SL), David Willey (ENG), Hardus Viljoen, Dilshan Madushanka (SL), Kyle Abbott.