MI Cape Town's George Linde has got a 'good feeling' ahead of maiden T20 World Cup

Proteas all-rounder George Linde believes South Africa has assembled a formidable squad for next month’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India.

Linde is set for his first taste of World Cup cricket, where he and his 14 teammates will aim to become the first senior South African side to bring a world title home.

The 34-year-old’s inclusion by Convenor of Selectors Patrick Moroney was a career milestone he describes as "special."

“It was obviously very special to me. I don't think it's sunk in yet, to be honest. There's still a lot of cricket to play before we board that plane,” Linde said. “I think once I'm on the flight to the World Cup, it will start sinking in. I'm really excited. We've got a very good squad and a great opportunity to win it. I've got a good feeling about this one.”

The spin-bowling all-rounder has looked sharp during the ongoing SA20. On Friday night, he returned figures of 1/41 with the ball and smashed a vital 18-ball 31 with the bat to lead MI Cape Town to a thrilling three-wicket victory over the Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Linde was particularly pleased with his contribution with the willow and hopes to carry this momentum into the showpiece event in India.

“With the bat, I saw again tonight that if you just give yourself a little bit of a chance, it makes things easier,” Linde remarked.

“I felt calmer today for some reason. I knew what I wanted to do, whereas in previous games, I was perhaps a little bit all over the place. I've struggled with the bat over the last two months, but I've been working hard. This knock will definitely give me more confidence. I'm quite harsh on myself at times, and I've learned a lot in this competition. Hopefully, this form continues.”

T20 cricket is a high-pressure environment, especially during the business end of a tournament like the SA20, where four teams are currently fighting for the final two playoff spots. For the 15 players selected for the World Cup, the pressure is amplified; they must consistently justify their selection while those left behind play to prove the selectors wrong.

Linde, however, emphasised the importance of mental decompression.

"To be fair, there's always pressure in T20 cricket. It's what you make of it. I've played the game for a long time now, so I try not to think too far ahead," Linde said.

"I prefer to stay in the moment, day by day. When I've got a day off, I just go play golf and forget about everything. Once I get back to the hotel, then I start focusing on game day."