Kane Williamson has come back to Durban’s Super Giants (DSG) in the next SA20 2025–26 season. The reorganisation of the squad in a major way for the tournament saw the New Zealand captain replace Bangladesh spinner Taijul Islam. With the return of the Kiwis leader, the franchise gets a lot of bright hope and a calm innings as they try to take the challenge of the tough season last year.
Taijul Islam, who was acquired by DSG at the mega auction in September for ZAR 500,000 (about USD 28,858), was the most likely to become the first Bangladeshi player to feature in the SA20. But the team management decided to recall Williamson, thus giving precedence to the batting department's stability and the presence of a leader.
Kane Williamson’s return strengthens Durban’s Super Giants lineup
Williamson was a key player for the Super Giants in the 2025 season, as he managed to score 233 runs in eight matches at an average of 46.60 and a strike rate of 118.88. Despite his fantastic performance, DSG only managed to finish last in the table, which led to a major overhaul of the team for the new season.
The 34-year-old only a few days ago made it known that he would no longer play T20 internationals and thus would be retiring from the format after a long and remarkable career that spans 13 years with a total of 2,575 runs in 93 matches at an average of 33.4 and a strike rate of 123.1, with 18 half-centuries.
It’s a good thing that Williamon is coming back because the team that last season was not able to keep going and was forced to go through a tough time in the league will get a chance to balance things out again. Also, his transition from different formats and leadership skills will be very important for the coach, Lance Klusener, as the team has their eyes on a turnaround.
By the same token, Bangladesh’s recurring hope of having the first SA20 representative will be further delayed as a result of the decision to exclude Taijul Islam from the team. A source of information the squad composition and the foreign player quota chiefly influenced the choice.
SA20 2025–26 season will be initiated on December 26, the Super Giants from Durban who will be at home in Newlands will be the first ones to face the challenge and the MI Cape Town team will be coming to meet them there. With the return of Williamson, DSG will be looking forward to a firmer performance and a drive towards the playoffs.
