MARKRAM AND KLAASEN'S LOCAL KNOWLEDGE SET TO POWER DSG IN SEASON OPENER

Durban's Super Giants batter Tony de Zorzi believes the value of captain Aiden Markram's wealth of experience playing at Centurion will be beneficial in their Betway SA20 Season 5 opener away to Pretoria Capitals on Tuesday, 19 January 2027.

Markram, along with fellow top-order batter Heinrich Klaasen, learnt their trade at Centurion, and few know the Highveld venue better than the DSG duo.

The pair certainly enjoy the batting-friendly surface, plundering runs almost at will, with both Markram (224 runs at an average of 44.80) and Klaasen (212 at an average of 53) scoring in excess of 200 runs over the past four Betway SA20 seasons at Centurion.

"Local knowledge is going to be important for us. Obviously, we have 'Sauce' (captain Aiden Markram), which is amazing for us. His knowledge is obviously being used by everyone and all the local players, and everyone enjoys playing at Centurion - it's always good games, high-scoring games, and the crowd is always exciting there, so I'm sure it'll be a great start," said De Zorzi, who also has fond memories of Centurion after powering his former team, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, to the final with a top score of 78 in the Season 3 Eliminator.

While a fast start at Centurion is high on the agenda, De Zorzi was quick to stress that the Super Giants remain focused on the tournament as a whole, with the squad mindful of pacing themselves for the challenges that lie ahead across the season.

"The first game allows you to set a foundation and give yourself some momentum," De Zorzi said. "But it is a long tournament, and as you have seen through the years, it's a bit more of a marathon than a sprint."

De Zorzi is also looking forward to returning to the DSG top order alongside Markram and Klaasen after missing the entire Season 4 due to injury.

The deadline for all squads to finalise their retained and pre-signed players is Friday, 31 July 2026 ahead of the Player Auction