Rashid Khan: Less Pressure as Defending Champs, Eyes Pooran Impact in SA20 Opener

The defending champions return to Newlands on Friday with an aim to get their title defence up and running against a revamped Durban's Super Giants (DSG). Apart from Rashid, the side boasts of Proteas stars Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch alongside Trent Boult and new recruit Nicholas Pooran.

"There was more pressure last year than this year, you know we came at the bottom twice in a row and to come up from that and win the trophy was a big thing for us as a team. I think what we did right was we played collectively as a team and we took the responsibility at certain points of the game.

"Every player is well experienced, and they will adjust themselves with the condition and the position of the team quite quickly. Everyone is so professional, they have played so much cricket around the world, and I think it won't be that difficult for them to acclimatise," said Rashid in a SA20 release ahead of the opening game.

He also expects Pooran to hit the ground running for his new team. "He (Pooran) is going to bring lots of energy to the game. We know how dangerous and how good a cricketer he is. He is a kind of a person who comes in smashing lots of sixes you will see. He's a guy full of energy and entertainment and I am sure he is going to love his time here."

DSG, meanwhile, have a new captain in Aiden Markram, who has won the competition twice previously with Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC), and brings a wealth of experience and winning mentality to Lance Klusener-coached team.

DSG have a star-studded squad via the presence of England's 2022 T20 World Cup-winning captain Jos Buttler, New Zealand batter Williamson and former Proteas white-ball big-hitter Heinrich Klaasen.

West Indies off-spin all-rounder Sunil Narine is unfortunately not available as yet, but DSG have recruited Proteas Test hero Simon Harmer to further bolster a spinning contingent that already has Afghanistan mystery bowler Noor Ahmad.

"There is a really nice balance in the setup, and we have a nice group of guys. We have some really good all-rounders, mixed with 2-3 world class players with the likes of Buttler, Klaasen and co."

"I think a lot of it comes down to finding our strength as a team and our identity and what gives us the best chance to play good cricket and win games of cricket, so it's obviously a new and exciting challenge for us in a competition with a lot of new faces," said Markram.

- IANS