DURBAN: South African all-rounder George Linde made a spectacular return to international cricket during the first T20I match of the series against Pakistan in Durban.
However, his journey to the stadium was marked by an unexpected turn of events, as he missed the team bus ahead of the match.
Linde, who had waited over three years for this moment, was left scrambling after an unusual timing mix-up caused him to miss the bus.
"For some reason, my phone was 15 minutes behind the actual time," Linde explained. "I told myself, okay, I’ll go down at 4 o'clock and board the bus early. When I stepped out of the hotel, I saw the bus leaving."
Despite the initial setback, the all-rounder found a way to make it to the stadium, thanks to the quick thinking of his team’s support staff.
“Luckily, there was a police escort. They took me to the bus,” he recalled. “It was a very embarrassing moment for me. I won’t be late again.”
Once at the stadium, the 33-year-old's performance more than made up for the earlier drama. His all-round brilliance powered South Africa to an 11-run victory over Pakistan in the T20 series opener.
Batting first, South Africa posted a competitive total of 183/9, with a fiery 48 off 24 balls from Linde and an explosive half-century from David Miller.
Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed impressed with the ball for the Men in Green, each taking three wickets.
Pakistan's response fell short despite Mohammad Rizwan’s valiant 74 off 62 balls and Saim's 31-run cameo off 15 balls.
Linde proved to be a force with the ball as well, claiming four wickets, while Kwena Maphaka added two crucial dismissals.
It is pertinent to mention that the second T20I between both teams will take place in Centurion this Friday.
Sohail Imran Sohail Imran is a senior reporter for Geo News.
