Sports in Brief

Pietersen out of World Cup and IPL

England star Kevin Pietersen said he was "absolutely devastated" that his long-standing hernia problem had ended his World Cup and shattered his lucrative Indian Premier League plans.

"Sad to leave India.. Love the people and the hospitality. Alvida doston (Goodbye friends)," he wrote on his Twitter account on Monday. "I fly home tonight. Out of the WC and IPL.. Absolutely devastated." The 30-year-old will undergo a hernia operation which he had hoped to postpone until after the World Cup while Eoin Morgan will be called in as a replacement player.

Morgan replaces Pietersen

The International Cricket Council has approved Eoin Morgan as a replacement player for the injured Kevin Pietersen in the England squad.

Morgan, a 24-year-old middle-order batsman, has played 38 ODIs for England, scoring 1,160 runs at an average of 40. Pietersen will undergo an operation which he had hoped to postpone until after the World Cup. Former Ireland batsman Morgan would have been in England's original squad but for a finger injury.

NEW DELHI, AFP

Giant-killing Ireland move up rankings

Minnows Ireland have leapfrogged Zimbabwe in the one-day international rankings after their stunning World Cup win over England, the International Cricket Council said Monday.

The sensational victory in Bangalore last Wednesday earned Ireland, a second-tier, or associate member of the ICC, enough points to move into 10th position in the rankings. Zimbabwe are a full member of the ICC with Test and one-day international status but are currently inactive in Tests. Australia remain the top-ranked side, with World Cup joint hosts India in second place. Sri Lanka are up to third place.

AFP