Eman 
George Linde Shines as South Africa Crush Pakistan in Rawalpindi to Take 1-0 T20I Lead
ZeeaK 
George Linde’s all-round brilliance powered South Africa to a record-breaking T20 victory over Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
George Linde Blazes as South Africa Thrash Pakistan in Rawalpindi to Achieve 1-0 T20I Lead
It was a night to remember on Tuesday evening in Rawalpindi. South Africa wrote history with aplomb. Their 194/9 was equal to the record highest-ever T20I score at the venue, and their 55-run win was also the first instance of a side defending a total succeeding in a completed men’s T20I at this venue.
This victory wasn’t only decisive—it was record-breaking. Of their 208 T20I games, South Africa have opted to bat first 111 times, but nine of those victories have come with a larger margin. Pakistan, having played 280 T20Is, have infrequently experienced such a lopsided home loss when chasing—this was one of their worst.
And at the center of it was George Linde—the unassuming all-rounder who spoke volumes through his game.
Rawalpindi is a place with bittersweet memories for Linde. In 2021, he picked up 5/64 in a Test here, but South Africa still lost. Earlier this year, in the PSL, he was hammered for 20 runs in two overs and caught for a duck. But here, the script reversed entirely.
Returning in after South Africa slipped from a racing start of 74/1 in the PowerPlay to 139/5, Linde steered the innings back on course with composure and aggression. After a bumbling start—seven off nine balls—he went into overdrive, blasting Shaheen Afridi with three successive boundaries and hanging on by a thread after a dropped catch at long-on by Babar Azam.
He then battered Abrar Ahmed’s opening ball for six with a massive slog sweep and sprinted to 36 from only 22 balls, laying the platform for a good finish.
In an interview after the match, Linde stated,
“We knew Rawalpindi is a high-scoring ground, but the wicket played slower than the norm. We thought 195 was par if we bowled intelligently—and that’s precisely what we did.”
And bowl well they did. Corbin Bosch (4/14) and Lizaad Williams (2 wickets) tore through Pakistan’s top order, and Linde came back to pick three hefty wickets—Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, and Faheem Ashraf—to leave the hosts in shambles at 89/7.
It was poetic justice for Linde, who has waited a long while for his time in South African colours. Having been away from international cricket for more than three years, he returned against Pakistan in 2024 with a match-winning 48 and 4/21 in Durban. On Tuesday, he did it again when it counted the most.
While South Africa gear up for their next task in India, Linde has proved that when the door of opportunity opens, he ensures he makes the most of it.
“It’s a very good day to beat Pakistan,” said Linde with a grin.
And on this good day, George Linde proved to be the game-changer.
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