South Africa has called up George Linde as a reserve for Aiden Markram, who sustained a right hamstring injury. Markram will undergo a fitness test to determine his availability for the semi-final. This adds to the team’s injury woes as several key players are sidelined. Linde will join the squad but will only officially replace Markram if necessary, subject to ICC confirmation.
South Africa has officially summoned George Linde, a left-arm spin bowling allrounder, to join the national squad as a traveling reserve for the Champions Trophy. This decision comes as Aiden Markram sustained a right hamstring injury while fielding during a match against England, forcing him to spend the remainder of the game on the sidelines. Markram is scheduled to undergo a fitness assessment during Tuesday’s training session to evaluate his eligibility for the forthcoming semi-final against New Zealand.
Markram’s injury adds to an extensive list of sidelined players, including fast bowlers Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger, and Lizaad Williams, all of whom were ruled out prior to the commencement of the tournament. To bolster their squad, South Africa has brought Linde in, who will officially replace Markram only if he is declared unfit, subject to confirmation by the ICC’s event technical committee.
The inclusion of Linde seems strategically aligned with potential future match conditions, particularly if South Africa proceeds to the final in Dubai against India, where the pitch favors spin. Currently, the team has two specialist spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi; however, only Maharaj has participated in matches held in Pakistan. In contrast, India recently fielded four spinners during their match against New Zealand in Dubai.
George Linde has displayed impressive performance metrics, particularly noted during the 2025 SA20 season, where he contributed significantly to MI Cape Town’s inaugural title win. Across 11 matches, he scored 161 runs with a striking efficiency and secured 11 wickets at an commendable economy rate of 6.29. His recent performances for Western Province in the One-Day Challenge Division One further demonstrate his value, accumulating 106 runs and four wickets in five contests.
In addition to Linde, left-arm fast bowler Kwena Maphaka is part of the traveling reserve contingent. Fortunately, both Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi have recovered from illness and are set to resume training this evening while the squad prepares for their upcoming challenges.
In summary, South Africa’s cricket team has secured George Linde as a reserve for Aiden Markram following his injury ahead of the Champions Trophy. This move underscores the team’s proactive approach in addressing potential gaps, especially with the increased emphasis on spin in the expected conditions. The team is also hopeful that Markram’s fitness will allow for his participation in the critical semi-final against New Zealand.
Original Source: www.espncricinfo.com
