Lahore (Pakistan) [India], March 4: South Africa has added George Linde to their squad as a cover for injured batter Aiden Markram ahead of their ICC Champions Trophy semifinal against New Zealand on Tuesday. Markram sustained a hamstring injury during South Africa’s last league match against England and was unable to continue playing.
Linde, a left-arm spin bowling all-rounder, will join the squad as a travelling reserve. Markram is scheduled to undergo a fitness test on Tuesday evening, which will determine his availability for the semifinal, according to ESPNCricinfo.
The injury to Markram is the latest setback for South Africa, who have already lost pacers Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger, and Lizaad Williams due to injuries before the competition started.
Linde is set to arrive with the Proteas squad on Tuesday evening but will only replace Markram if the batter is officially ruled out and the ICC’s event technical committee confirms the swap.
The inclusion of Linde might be a strategic move, as the Proteas anticipate the need for an extra spinner in case they qualify for the final, which will be held in Dubai. The dry conditions at the Dubai International Stadium could call for additional spin options. While South Africa has two specialist spinners in their squad, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, only Maharaj played against Pakistan.
In contrast, India used four spinners in their recent match against New Zealand in Dubai, including Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy. The move proved to be successful, and South Africa might be looking to follow suit in the final if they make it there.
Linde has been in excellent form, playing a pivotal role in MI Cape Town’s SA20 title win. He scored 161 runs at a strike rate of 153.33 and an average of over 40 in eight innings and 11 matches. In addition, Linde took 11 wickets at an impressive average of 6.29. He also impressed in the One-Day Challenge Division One with Western Province, contributing 106 runs and four wickets in five matches.
In addition to Linde, left-arm pacer Kwena Maphaka is also with the squad as a travelling reserve. Meanwhile, batters Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi, who had been sidelined due to illness, have recovered and are set to begin their training sessions.