Cricket news round-up – 25 May: Afghanistan, South Africa win warm-ups, Injured Morgan to skip Australia match

Afghanistan and South Africa won their first warm-up matches, while Eoin Morgan, Vijay Shankar, and Shikhar Dhawan were all hit by the ball during net practice.

World Cup warm-up match updates

Afghanistan win against Pakistan

Babar Azam’s 112 and Shoaib Malik’s 44 helped Pakistan set a target of 262 against Afghanistan. Mohammad Nabi took 3 wickets and Rashid Khan and Dawlat Zadran 2 each.

Then Hazratullah Zazai (49) and Mohammad Shahzad (23 retired) got Afghanistan off to a solid start. Hashmatullah Shahidi (74*) took it up from there, finishing things off with some help from Rahmat Shah (32), Samiullah Shinwari (22), and Nabi (34) finished the job with two balls remaining.

South Africa thrash Sri Lanka

The other warm-up match at Cardiff saw South Africa defeat Sri Lanka comfortably by 87 runs. Hashim Amla (65) found form, setting the base for Faf du Plessis (88 in 69) to take Sri Lanka to 338/7.

In reply, Sri Lanka folded for 251. Dimuth Karunaratne (87) and Angelo Mathews (64) tried to put a fight which went in vain.

World Cup 2019 updates

Eoin Morgan suffered from a finger injury while practising slip catching. An ECB report confirmed a fracture. Morgan is likely to miss the warm-up against Australia on Saturday.

Vijay Shankar was hit on the forearm while attempting a pull. There is no update on his injury or his availability for the warm-up match against New Zealand on Saturday.

During practice, Shikhar Dhawan was hit on the helmet. No updated news is yet available on the intensity of his injury. Patrick Farhart informed that the region around lips and jaw was hit.

According to a new PCB policy, family members and wives of Pakistan players are not allowed to stay with them during the World Cup. This came after Pakistan’s 0-4 loss against England in five-match ODI series.

South Africa announce dates for home series against England and Australia

On Friday, Cricket South Africa announced the dates for home series against England and Australia. England will travel to South Africa to play 4 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 3 twenty20 matches. The tour will continue from December 20 to February 16.

Following this, Australia will play only ODIs and T20Is, from February 21 to March 7.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Final

The matches between Botswana and Ghana, Kenya and Namibia, Uganda and Nigeria have been abandoned without a ball being bowled.