Lucknow Super Giants have brought in South African all-rounder George Linde to replace Wanindu Hasaranga. He will be acquired for his base price of INR 1 crore.
The team decided to part ways with Hasaranga for the 2026 season due to doubts about his fitness. Hasaranga’s last game was during the T20 World Cup, where he played for Sri Lanka against Ireland, taking three wickets before a left hamstring injury ended his participation in the tournament.
The 28-year-old has not yet passed the fitness test needed to obtain a No-Objection Certificate from Sri Lanka Cricket, which is required for him to play in the league. LSG had originally signed Hasaranga for his base price of INR 2 crore.
“Wanindu Hasaranga won’t be able to join us and we are preparing to find a replacement. We will announce it in the next 24 to 48 hours,” said LSG Director of Cricket Tom Moody during a match against KKR.
LSG looked at several options, including Afghanistan’s Mujeeb ur-Rahman and England’s Liam Dawson, before settling on Linde as Hasaranga’s replacement.
Linde has played 37 T20 Internationals for South Africa, taking 35 wickets with a respectable economy rate of 7.58. He has also scored 403 runs at a strike rate of 147.61, showcasing his ability as a useful lower-order batter.
This will be Linde’s first season in the IPL, although he has a strong record in the global franchise circuit, with 218 wickets in 250 T20 matches at an economy rate of 7.42.
Lucknow Super Giants have played three matches in IPL 2026, winning two. They lost their first game against Delhi Capitals but bounced back to secure victories against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders. They are set to host Gujarat Titans at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 12.