George Linde, making his international comeback after three years, put in a record match-winning performance in the first T20I against Pakistan in Durban on Tuesday (December 11).
South Africa chose to bat first at the Kingsmead in the first game of the series and got off to a poor start, losing 3-28 by the fourth over. David Miller (82 off 40) rescued the innings with Heinrich Klaasen (12 off 13) and Donovan Ferreira (7 off 6) before joining hands with Linde, who came in at No.7 in the 12th over at 104-5.
The left-handed duo added 31 runs in 2.4 overs before Miller was dismissed, leading to a collapse that nearly ended the Proteas' innings. From 135-5, they were reduced to 141-8 by the end of the 16th over. Linde then took matters into his own hands, adding 29 off 13 balls in a 24-ball partnership with No.10 Kwena Maphaka that fetched 42 runs.
Linde was dismissed off the last ball of the innings for 48 off 24, having hit three fours and four sixes as South Africa finished on 183-9.
Pakistan looked steady in their chase at 75-2, with Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Khan at the crease when Linde got rid of the latter in the tenth over. They huffed and puffed through the middle overs, with the equation coming down to 36 off the last three.
Also read: 100-wicket treble, full list: Shaheen Afridi becomes youngest ever to achieve all-format feat
Linde, who had figures of 1-17 from three overs, came on to bowl his final over which turned the game in South Africa's favour. He got Shaheen Afridi stumped off a wide on the second ball, before dismissing Irfan Khan and Abbas Afridi off successive deliveries.
In fact, Linde could have had a hat-trick and four in one over. The on field umpire gave Haris Rauf out on the last ball of the over as Linde started celebrating his hat-trick, but the Pakistan quick took a review and got the decision overturned.
Linde finished with figures of 4-0-21-4 to go with his cameo with the bat as South Africa won by 11 runs.
Match 1st T20I, South Africa vs Pakistan
vs
- Ball by ball Over
A rare all-round double
Linde's performance was the first ocassion of a South African taking four-plus wickets and scoring 40-plus runs in a T20I.
Across Full Member nations in men's T20I cricket, it was the ninth instance of a player achieving this feat. Among the others who have, Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan is the only one to do it more than once (three times).
Read more: Five India T20I discards tearing up the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Overall, it was the 39th instance of a player scoring 40-plus runs and picking four-plus wickets in a men's T20I.
Had the lbw decision against Rauf not been overturned, Linde would have picked up five wickets to go with his 40-plus runs and become only the second player from a FM nation after Shakib to do so in men's T20Is.
This feat has been achieved 13 times in women's T20I cricket, including seven times by a player from a Full Member nation – but never by a South African.
40-plus runs, four-plus wickets in men's T20Is (Full Member nations)
| Player | Runs scored | Wickets | Runs Conceded | Opposition | Ground | Date |
| George Linde (SA) | 48 | 4 | 21 | v Pakistan | Durban | 10 Dec 2024 |
| Hardik Pandya (IND) | 51 | 4 | 33 | v England | Southampton | 7 Jul 2022 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 46 | 4 | 9 | v P.N.G. | Al Amerat | 21 Oct 2021 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 42* | 5 | 20 | v West Indies | Mirpur | 20 Dec 2018 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 40 | 4 | 21 | v Zimbabwe | Bulawayo | 12 May 2013 |
| Samiullah Shinwari (AFG) | 61 | 4 | 14 | v Canada | ICCA Dubai | 18 Mar 2012 |
| Mohammad Hafeez (PAK) | 71 | 4 | 10 | v Zimbabwe | Harare | 16 Sep 2011 |
| Shane Watson (AUS) | 59 | 4 | 15 | v England | Adelaide | 12 Jan 2011 |
| Dwayne Bravo (WI) | 66* | 4 | 38 | v India | Lord's | 12 Jun 2009 |
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