Lucknow Super Giants just got some tough news: their top spinner, Wanindu Hasaranga, is out for the rest of the IPL 2026 season. The team should announce a replacement within the next couple of days.
Hasaranga’s been sidelined since he tore his hamstring in Sri Lanka’s opening match at the T20 World Cup 2026. According to ESPNcricinfo, he didn’t complete the fitness tests required by Sri Lanka Cricket, which he needed to pass to get clearance for the IPL.
Lucknow picked up Hasaranga at the auction for Rs 2 crore, but now they’re set to bring in South African all-rounder George Linde as his replacement. “We’re preparing for the fact that he can’t join us,” Tom Moody told ESPNcricinfo. “We should be announcing a replacement in the next 24 to 48 hours.”
Linde hasn’t played in the IPL yet, but at 34, he’s got plenty of T20 experience—250 matches, 218 wickets, and 2,746 runs with a batting average of 19.47. If he joins LSG, he brings both skill and experience, and he’ll be looking to make a mark in his first IPL stint.
Right now, Lucknow sits fifth on the points table. They’ve got two wins from three games and will want to keep the momentum going as the season rolls on.