Cricket news roundup – 24th March 2019: Kolkata, Delhi, Australia, South Africa, England Women all win

Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals started off their IPL 2019 campaigns with wins over Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians respectively. In the process, Jasprit Bumrah picked up an unfortunate injury.

In international cricket, Australia beat Pakistan, South Africa clean swept Sri Lanka, and England Women defeated Sri Lanka Women.

Russell’s muscles ruin Warner comeback

David Warner celebrated his return to top-level cricket with a 53-ball 85 against Kolkata at Eden Gardens in Match 2 of IPL 2019. Warner dominated the 118-run opening stand with Jonny Bairstow, scored off only 77 balls.

However, Kolkata clawed their way back with three wickets. Hyderabad could not make the most of their start. They finished on 181/3, about 20 short of what they should have scored.

Nitish Rana (68 in 47) batted well in response, but the asking rate kept mounting. Kolkata needed 64 from 27 balls when Rana fell. The equation came down to 53 from 18, but Russell (49* in 19) took 40 off the next 2 overs. Shubman Gill finished things off with 2 sixes in the final over.

Pant opens Delhi’s account

Delhi Capitals seemed to be headed for a score in the 180s when Shikhar Dhawan fell. At that point the score read 131/3 in 15.1 overs. They ended up scoring 213/6.

Rishabh Pant then tore into the Mumbai attack for an unbeaten 27-ball 78. This included 7 fours and 7 sixes.

Mumbai started their chase well but lost too many early wickets. They still after Yuvraj Singh and Kieron Pollard added 50 in 5 overs, but in the end they were bowled out for 176.

Injury scare for Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah picked up an injury at the end of the Delhi innings. The last ball of the innings was a yorker, which Pant drove back to Bumrah. Bumrah tried to stop it in his follow-through, fell over, and came up clutching his shoulder. He did not bat for Mumbai.

Australia flatten Pakistan again

Australia went 2-0 up in the series, won their 5th ODI in a row, and their 6th consecutive match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Mohammad Rizwan (115) and Shoaib Malik (60) first took Pakistan to 284/7 as Jhye Richardson (2/16) had to leave with an injured shoulder.

Usman Khawaja (88) and Aaron Finch (153*) polished off 209 of these, off only 220 balls, for the first wicket. The rest was a cakewalk: Australia lost only 2 wickets, and reached home with 13 balls to spare.

South Africa whitewash Sri Lanka

After being whitewashed 0-2 in the Tests, South Africa did a complete rout of Sri Lanka in the limited-overs leg, winning the ODIs 5-0 and now the T20Is 3-0.

At New Wanderers, Johannesburg, South Africa put up 198/2 after Reeza Hendricks (66 in 52) and Dwaine Pretorius (77* in 42) added 90 in 55 balls. The Sri Lankans, set to chase 183 in 17 overs after a rain break, capitulated to 137 as Andile Phehlukwayo picked up 4/24.

Big win for England Women

England Women went 1-0 up in the T20I series against Sri Lanka Women with an 8-wicket win at P Sara Oval, Colombo. Linsey Smith (3/18) led the rout as Sri Lanka folded for only 94, Oshadi Ranasinghe scoring 20 not out from No. 9.

England reached there with 32 balls to spare, Tammy Beaumont leading the charge with an unbeaten 43-ball 50.