South Africa has summoned George Linde as a traveling reserve for injured Aiden Markram, who hurt his right hamstring while fielding. Linde’s inclusion adds depth to the squad amid a series of injuries. Markram will undergo fitness tests to determine his availability for the semi-final against New Zealand, while Linde’s performances in recent tournaments indicate his preparedness to step in if necessary.
George Linde, a left-arm spin bowling allrounder, has been called up to join the South African squad as a traveling reserve for Aiden Markram, who is currently experiencing a right hamstring injury. Markram sustained this injury while fielding during a match against England and was unable to participate for the remainder of the game. He is scheduled to undergo a fitness evaluation during Tuesday evening’s training session to assess his suitability for the upcoming semi-final against New Zealand.
Markram’s injury adds to an extensive list of South African players sidelined due to fitness issues, including fast bowlers Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger, and Lizaad Williams, all of whom were ruled out before the tournament commenced. Linde will officially join the team on Tuesday evening, although he will not replace Markram in the squad unless the latter is confirmed as unfit, pending approval by the ICC’s event technical committee.
Adding Linde to the group may be a strategic decision in the event South Africa advances to the final in Dubai against India, where conditions may necessitate an additional spinner. Currently, the team has two specialist spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, with Maharaj being the only one to have participated in the matches held in Pakistan. It is noteworthy that India utilized four spinners in their recent match against New Zealand in Dubai.
In the recent 2025 SA20 tournament, Linde significantly contributed to MI Cape Town’s first title victory, scoring 161 runs with a notable strike rate of 153.33 and claiming 11 wickets at an economy rate of 6.29 over 11 matches. He further demonstrated his capabilities while playing for Western Province in the One-Day Challenge Division One, scoring 106 runs and taking four wickets across five games.
Additionally, left-arm fast bowler Kwena Maphaka is accompanying the squad as a traveling reserve. Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi have recovered from their illnesses and are set to partake in the training session this evening.
In summary, George Linde’s inclusion as a traveling reserve for Aiden Markram addresses the latter’s hamstring injury while enhancing South Africa’s spin options for the Champions Trophy’s semi-final against New Zealand. With multiple players already ruled out due to injuries, Linde’s recent performances in domestic leagues underline his readiness to contribute. The South African team will continue to monitor Markram’s fitness closely ahead of their critical match.
Original Source: www.espncricinfo.com
