Kane Williamson and Chris Woakes have been directly signed by Durban's Super Giants for SA20 2025, marking their debut in the tournament. The deadline for retentions is set for July 21, while direct signings must be completed by August 31. The tournament is scheduled to run from January 9 to February 8.

Last month, Williamson announced that he would participate in SA20 in January, following his decision to decline a New Zealand central contract for the 2024-25 season and step down from the captaincy. Despite this move, he emphasized his ongoing commitment to New Zealand cricket, aside from his stint in South Africa.

"There's a number of great competitions on during that time, but SA20 looks really exciting," Williamson had told reporters. "Unfortunately, it meant turning down a central contract. However, my priority still is, absolutely, playing for New Zealand. Think I miss maybe a handful of games over a three-week period."

Chris Woakes has been a crucial player for England in white-ball cricket, especially with the new ball, contributing significantly to their victories in the 2019 ODI and 2022 T20I World Cups. However, he was not selected for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

In other news regarding England players, Joe Root was recently announced as a new signing for the Paarl Royals, and Ben Stokes has received a lucrative contract offer from MI Cape Town.