George Linde will be playing for his first IPL franchise. | Photo Credit: AP

Lucknow Super Giants has announced South African all-rounder George Linde as its replacement for Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.

The 28-year-old Hasaranga — who was signed by LSG for Rs. 2 crore at the auction — was ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 with a hamstring injury and had not taken a fitness test to receive the necessary No-Objection Certificate required to participate in the IPL.

LSG director of cricket Tom Moody had confirmed during its match against KKR on Thursday that the team had been actively searching for a replacement for Hasaranga.

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Linde, who has played three Tests, four ODIs, and 37 T20Is for South Africa, has not played in the IPL before, and will join LSG at his reserve price of Rs. 1 crore. He bowls left-arm spin and bats in the lower-order.

The 34-year-old — who has featured in franchise leagues such as SA20, the Hundred, Major League Cricket, and the PSL in the last year — will join LSG’s spin attack alongside the likes of Digvesh Rathi, Shahbaz Ahmed, and M. Siddharth.

Published on Apr 10, 2026