Rilee Rossouw joins Somerset for the upcoming Vitality Blast

Somerset's chances of winning the Vitality Blast T20 this season have been strengthened by the announcement of Rilee Rossouw joining the club as an overseas player.

Assuming he obtains the necessary visa, the 32-year-old South African will be eligible for the entire campaign, including the knockout stages.

The powerful left-handed top-order hitter has appeared in 15 T20Is, scoring over 300 runs with a strike rate of 137.97.

He has played 236 T20 matches in all, scoring over 5,800 runs at a strike rate of 138.47 with the best score of 112.

Rilee is a well-known T20 player who has represented some of the world's most prestigious teams, including Royal Challengers Bangalore and Melbourne Renegades.

He also played a crucial role in Multan Sultans' run to the Pakistan Super League final this season.

Andy Hurry, Somerset's Director of Cricket, is ecstatic to have gained the services of such a powerful batter.

In the issued statement, he mentioned that they have assessed all the strengths and qualities in their squad. After evaluating all the global, domestic and international cricket which is being played, they felt the need for explosive firepower in their batting that will go well with the strong group of players and help them move further as they lost the finals last year.

"Having a player with Rilee's proven strike rates and international expertise in this format available for the length of the Blast will add significant value to our campaign," Hurry said.

"I have experience of playing in England, and I made 156 at Taunton in a 50-over game a few seasons back," Rilee remarked after signing with the team.

"Even though I was playing for the opposition, I recall how Members and supporters reacted to that. That was something I will never forget. When the opportunity to play for Somerset arose, I eagerly accepted the challenge," Rilee concluded.