The Latest: Setback for Afghans, Shahzad out of World Cup

By Associated Press 07 June 2019, 12:00AM

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Day 8 at the Cricket World Cup (all times local):

9:15 p.m.

Mohammad Shahzad has been ruled of the Cricket World Cup because of a knee injury, a major setback for Afghanistan.

The popular wicketkeeper-batsman will be replaced in the 15-man squad by 18-year-old Ikram Ali Khil.

The International Cricket Council approved the replacement after Afghanistan's opening two losses in the tournament.

The 32-year-old Shahzad has been an integral part of Afghanistan's rise in the one-day cricket world rankings and a key member of the country's cricket development.

The burly all-rounder scored a century against India last September and warmed up for the World Cup with a century against Ireland in Belfast last month.

But he didn't have the happiest of World Cup tournaments, being bowled without scoring in the first over of Afghanistan's opening loss to defending champion Australia in Bristol and then being dismissed for seven in the loss to 1996 champion Sri Lanka in Cardiff.

Khil has played just two limited-overs internationals, making his international debut against Ireland in March.

Afghanistan's next game is against 2015 finalist New Zealand in Taunton on Saturday. New Zealand is unbeaten in its first two matches.

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8:30 p.m.

Nathan Coulter-Nile fears he might get dropped by Australia, despite hitting the best innings of his life at the Cricket World Cup.

The seam bowler played a key role in the team's 15-run win over West Indies on Thursday after hitting a 60-ball 92, his highest score in senior cricket and the best score by a batsman at No. 8 or lower in World Cup history.

However, he followed it up with bowling figures of 0-70 off 10 overs.

"We've got two world-class bowlers (waiting to play). I'm not in the team to make runs," he said. "Hopefully the top order does that, so I wouldn't be surprised if I got dropped for the next game.

In Australia's first match at the World Cup, Coulter-Nile had figures of 0-36 against Afghanistan.

"I'm in the team to take wickets and I've had two wicketless games," he said, so we'll see how we go." 

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6:50 p.m.

Being Pakistan's batting coach is a stressful job at the best of times but Grant Flower says he wants to stay in the post after the Cricket World Cup has ended.

Flower has already seen Pakistan hit the lows — the 105 all out against West Indies in the opening game — and the highs — with 348 against tournament host England which ended a run of 11 straight losses in one-day internationals for Pakistan.

Flower, a former Zimbabwe international, disputed media reports in Pakistan that he was leaving after the tournament.

"No, that's not my choice. That was fake news," Flower told a news conference, adding he would like to carry on "but I suppose it's all dependent on the results."

Pakistan's batsmen get their next outing against Sri Lanka in Bristol on Friday at the County Ground.

"We didn't adapt well to the conditions against West Indies. Technically, we were a bit poor on the day," Flower said. "And I think there were a lot of nerves being the first World Cup match definitely. Then the guys got over that against England and they showed their proper skills, and it was a true test of character. I think they came through with flying colors in the second game."

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6:35 p.m.

Australia made it two wins from two games at the start of its Cricket World Cup title defense by eking out a 15-run win over West Indies.

Chasing 289 to win at Trent Bridge, West Indies had half-centuries from Shai Hope (68) and captain Jason Holder (51) but was restricted to 273-9 — mainly because of Mitchell Starc's 5-46, the first five-wicket haul of the tournament.

The Australians, who have also beaten Afghanistan by seven wickets, were only given a decent score to protect courtesy of Steve Smith's 73 and a career-best 92 off 60 balls by Nathan Coulter-Nile. That was the highest score by a No. 8, or lower, in World Cup history.

Australia had been reeling on 38-4 and 79-5.

West Indies opened the tournament with a big win over Pakistan in Nottingham.

Australia joins New Zealand on a maximum four points.

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6 p.m.

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne is expecting the unexpected ahead of Friday's Cricket World Cup game against Pakistan in Bristol.

"Pakistan is an unpredictable team," Dimuth Karunaratne told a pre-match news conference. "I think we have a bit of confidence."

Pakistan ended a run of 11 straight losses in one-day internationals with a 14-run win over top-ranked England at Trent Bridge on Monday. That came after Pakistan made its second-lowest World Cup total of 105 in an opening loss to West Indies.

Sri Lanka also had a terrible start to the tournament in a 10-wicket thrashing by New Zealand. But the 1996 champions rallied to beat Afghanistan in a rain-hit game.

Karunaratne said Sri Lanka is considering strengthening its batting lineup, with Kusal Perera likely to open again after hitting 78 against Afghanistan.

"I want to give him a chance to go for it and give him license with the free hands and then if someone gets out, (Lahiru) Thirimanne can go there and play some anchor role," Karunaratne said.

Whoever is there, Karunaratne definitely wants more from his batsmen.

"I saw a good team spirit there and the fielding unit and the bowling unit did a good job," against Afghanistan, he said. "Now the batting lineup, they have to put their hands up and do the job."

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5 p.m.

With a patient 54 off 84 balls, Shai Hope was anchoring West Indies' bid to chase down 289 and beat Australia at the Cricket World Cup.

The Windies are 160-4 after 30 overs, needing 129 more runs to win with 120 balls left.

Chris Gayle was given two reprieves by DRS when on 5 before his chaotic innings finally ended on 21. Nicholas Pooran weighed in with a 36-ball 40.

The unbeaten Hope appears to be the key to the reply and is batting in the middle with captain Jason Holder (8).

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2:25 p.m.

Nathan Coulter-Nile stroked a career-best 92 off 60 balls after Steve Smith led Australia's recovery from 38-4 as the defending champions reached 288 all out against West Indies at the Cricket World Cup.

Coulter-Nile, a fast bowler, made the highest score by a No. 8 in World Cup history by hitting eight fours and four sixes in an onslaught that jolted West Indies' aggressive pace attack after their superb start at Trent Bridge. His previous best ODI score was 34.

Smith steadied an innings that was rocking at 38-4 and at 79-5 with a 103-ball 73, before he was removed by one of the best catches of the tournament. Sheldon Cottrell took the catch one-handed just inside the boundary, tossed the ball in the air before he went over the rope, and returned to the field of play to collect the ball again.

Pacemen took all 10 wickets, just like when West Indies bounced out Pakistan for 105 last week in a seven-wicket win here in Nottingham.

Australia is also going for a second straight win, having already beaten Afghanistan.

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11:30 a.m.

Faced with more aggression from West Indies' pace attack, Australia is in trouble on 48-4 at the end of the opening 10-over powerplay at the Cricket World Cup.

Sheldon Cottrell has been the standout quick for the Windies, removing David Warner (3) and Glenn Maxwell (0) and celebrating his wickets with a military-style salute — a nod to his army background.

Usman Khawaja was roughed up by Oshane Thomas before swatting Andre Russell behind for 13. Aaron Finch was the first batsman to depart, to Thomas, for 6.

Australia is the first team this tournament to lose four wickets in the opening powerplay.

West Indies showed similar aggression in its opening group game against Pakistan, which was bounced out for 105.

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10:10 a.m.

West Indies has won the toss and chosen to bowl first against defending champion Australia at the Cricket World Cup.

While Australia's lineup is unchanged from its opening win over Afghanistan, West Indies brought in opener Evin Lewis as a replacement for Darren Bravo in a change to the team that opened with a big win over Pakistan. Shai Hope is likely to drop to No. 3 in the batting order.

Australia captain Aaron Finch said he would have batted first anyway if he'd won the toss, adding that the pitch looked dry and could spin later on.

Lineups:

Australia: Aaron Finch (captain), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (captain), Carlos Brathwaite, Ashley Nurse, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas.

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9:30 a.m.

West Indies and Australia aim to join New Zealand on two wins from two group games at the Cricket World Cup when they meet at Trent Bridge in the only match on Day 8 of the tournament.

They are coming off seven-wicket wins in their first outings, defending champion Australia over Afghanistan and West Indies against Pakistan. The Windies are playing their second straight game in Nottingham.

Australia has bad memories of Trent Bridge, having been smashed for a world-record 481 by England 12 months ago, and the same batting strip is being used for the match against the West Indies.

Both teams are likely to lean heavily on pace on what is set to be a sunny day in central England. The West Indies' quicks took all 10 wickets when roughing up against Pakistan.

Australia has won nine of its last 10 one-day internationals against West Indies, though they haven't met in an official ODI since 2016.

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More AP cricket: www.apnews.com/cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

By Associated Press 07 June 2019, 12:00AM

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