Durban, July 22 : Durban's Super Giants have bolstered their batting unit for the SA20 Season 3 with the signing of West Indies opener Brandon King. King, 29, is a vastly experienced T20 batter, having played 142 T20 matches, including 55 T20Is for the West Indies.

The right-handed batter was a central figure for the West Indies in the recent T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean before suffering a side strain in the Super Eight match against England in St. Lucia that curtailed his participation in the tournament. The Jamaican has struck 3,349 T20 runs at an average of 27.51 and a strike rate of 133.31. This run-tally includes two centuries and 21 half-centuries.

He was particularly prolific over the last 12 months, being named in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Team of Tournament 2023, after amassing 288 runs for the now-defunct Jamaica Tallawahs. King was also superb in the T20I series against the Proteas in the build-up to the T20 World Cup, where he topped the run-scoring charts across both teams with 179 runs at an average of 53.0 during the three-match series.

King joins a growing list of West Indians who have brought their unique Caribbean flair to Kingsmead in the past two seasons. DSG's cast of West Indies players includes Johnson Charles, Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder, Keemo Paul and Nicholas Pooran.

Kings' West Indian opening partners Johnson Charles and Kyle Mayers, along with all-rounders Jason Holder and Keemo Paul, formed part of DSG's Season 1 squad. Mayers and Paul returned to Durban for Season 2 along with Trinidad and Tobago superstar Nicholas Pooran, who was added as a Wildcard. The Super Giants claimed a credible runners-up position in season 2 and will hope that the addition of King will take them even one step further next year.

/IANS