Really excited to learn from someone like Kane Williamson: Keshav Maharaj

Season 3 of the SA20 is set to begin with an exciting opener between defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and MI Cape Town at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha. Among the six competing teams, Durban’s Super Giants not only ended as the runner-up last year but also with the addition of Kane Williamson. Skipper Keshav Maharaj has expressed his excitement for the upcoming season and the opportunity to learn from the New Zealand legend.

The Kiwi batter's T20 average of 31.57 and a strike rate of 122.58, and a wealth of captaincy experience, including leading New Zealand to the T20 World Cup final in 2021. His ability to anchor the innings and adapt to various situations will add depth to Durban’s batting lineup. Durban’s captain, Maharaj, is optimistic about his team’s prospects, largely due to Williamson's inclusion. Speaking ahead of the tournament, the spinner praised Williamson's leadership qualities.

"It's been really good. Obviously, the weather hasn't helped in Durban, but we still have the facility to try and make the most of what we can. But really exciting for me personally to learn from someone like Kane Williamson. He's been around the world; he's done really well as a leader, so it's good to basically dive into his knowledge and gain some insights into how he looks at the philosophy of leading sides. It will be good for me. I'm excited to see the youngsters that are coming into our line-up. I'm really excited—just looking to get the energy back into the Super Giants dressing room," Maharaj said in the pre-tournament press meet.

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Really exciting competition to be a part of: Aiden Markram

Meanwhile, Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Aiden Markram who has gone on to become a brilliant Test batter, spoke about the change from playing in red-ball to playing in leagues like SA20.

"I think because it's such different formats, obviously the energy around the Test summer was great for us, but then going into SA20, I think the energy will be absolutely fine. It's obviously a really exciting competition to be a part of and completely different to what the Test summer was like. So, it feels like a breath of fresh air now starting something, not that new, but it's completely different. We've been busy, but it's still very fun to get the season going," Markram said.