George Linde set to replace Hasaranga in IPL

Lucknow Super Giants are set to move forward without Wanindu Hasaranga, who has been ruled out due to injury, with the franchise preparing to announce a replacement soon.

Speaking during their match against Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata on Thursday, team director of cricket Tom Moody said that a replacement for Hasaranga would be confirmed within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Moody indicated that the team has already adjusted its plans, assuming that Hasaranga will not be able to join the squad. He added that the process of finalizing a replacement is now in its final stages.

According to reliable sources, South African left-arm spinner George Linde is the frontrunner to replace Hasaranga. Although he has yet to feature in the IPL, Linde has experience playing in various franchise leagues around the world.

Hasaranga has been sidelined since suffering a left hamstring injury during Sri Lanka’s opening match of the T20 World Cup in February. He also failed to complete the mandatory fitness tests required to obtain the NOC needed to participate in the IPL.

Lucknow had signed Hasaranga for INR 2 crore in the most recent auction, but he was unable to join the squad due to injury. Previously, the legspinner represented Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.

Despite Hasaranga’s absence, Lucknow’s bowling unit has performed well in the ongoing tournament. Their spin attack includes Digvesh Rathi, M Siddharth, and Shahbaz Ahmed. Meanwhile, pacer Mohsin Khan has also been sidelined since the opening match due to injury concerns.

Linde’s recent performances, however, have not been particularly impressive. In his last T20 series against New Zealand, he managed just one wicket across four innings. Nevertheless, he has gained experience in several franchise leagues over the past year.

In his T20 career so far, Linde has played 250 matches and taken 218 wickets, maintaining an economy rate of 7.42.