KKR vs LSG, IPL 2026: Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) Director of Cricket Tom Moody had announced midway through the IPL 2026 match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 9, Thursday at the Eden Gardens about Wanindu Hasaranga getting ruled out of the tournament. As such, Cricbuzz has reported that George Linde is all set to take Hasaranga’s spot in the Super Giants’ squad.
Has South African spinner George Linde played in IPL before?
While George Linde has featured for MI Cape Town and and MI New York in Major League Cricket (MLC) and SA20, respectively, he is yet to play in the IPL. As per Cricbuzz, the 34-year-old has been chosen as a replacement over Liam Dawson and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman. The towering Proteas cricketer has featured in 37 T20Is, picking up 35 wickets at 23.82 alongside an economy rate of 7.58. Overall, in 250 T20s, the veteran has snared 218 scalps at 26.19 apiece.
Has Wanindu Hasaranga been denied NOC for IPL 2026?
With Sri Lank Cricket (SLC) denying NOC to pacer Nuwan Thushara for IPL participation, it has called into question whether the wrist-spinner has also been denied the same by the board. However, according to Cricbuzz, Hasaranga is yet to undergo the fitness test that the board intends to conduct to decide for the IPL participation. Cricbuzz had further reported that the sources in Sri Lanka said Hasaranga batted for a session at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo last week but did not bowl. He last played in the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Ireland on February 8 and has been sidelined due to a tear in his left hamstring.
Due to no clarity yet, the Super Giants have now decided to announce a replacement for him. The leggie has claimed 46 wickets in 37 IPL games at 33.73, having played for the Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) previously. The Sri Lankan was also a part of the SunRisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 but didn’t play a game.
The Super Giants look in good shape, having won two out of three games in IPL 2026. Their win against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Thursday was arguably the most impressive of the lot as it was a come-from-behind victory, with Mukul Choudhary’s impressive 54* guiding them over the line.
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