South Africa's George Linde (left) celebrates after dismissing Pakistan's Irfan Khan. — AFP
Returning to the team after a three-year absence, South Africa's George Linde experienced a minor hiccup before the first T20 international against Pakistan at Durban on Tuesday. The spinner missed the team bus and had to be escorted by police to the Kingsmead ground. However, this unforeseen incident did not affect Linde's performance, as he delivered an outstanding all-round display in his comeback match.
Linde claimed four wickets and scored 48 runs off 24 balls, helping South Africa secure an 11-run victory over Pakistan. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, South Africa set a challenging target of 183-9 in their 20 overs. Pakistan managed 172-8 in response, falling just short of the target.
Reflecting on his performance, Linde said, "It felt like a dream comeback. I've played a lot of cricket and had a good season so far. I try to stay calm at the crease, take a deep breath, and ask myself what the team needs from me. I'm glad I could deliver for the team." He added, "I felt calm today for some reason. Missing the bus this morning made me feel like I had to perform, and I'm glad I did. The police escorted me to the ground, and they waited for me, which was a bit embarrassing."
David Miller was South Africa's top scorer with an impressive 82 off 40 balls, including four sixes and eight fours. Linde then took 4-21 in four overs, narrowly missing a hat-trick when his last ball was initially ruled to have trapped Haris Rauf leg before wicket. The decision was reversed on review, as the ball tracker showed it would have missed the leg stump.
Pakistan struggled to maintain the required run rate, with captain Mohammad Rizwan remaining at the crease until the final over before being dismissed for 74. The two teams will face off again in Pretoria on Friday and at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday. Next week, they will compete in a three-match One Day International series.
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