JOHANNESBURG - India and Pakistan suffered worrying defeats in their final World Cup warm-up matches yesterday as tournament favourites Australia, hosts South Africa, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka completed routine wins.
India slumped to a 32-run loss to KwaZulu Natal. Opening batsman Virender Sehwag top-scored with 40 as the 1983cup winners were bowled out for 158 in 38.2 overs, replying to the hosts' 190 for nine.
Sehwag was the only frontline batsman to reach double figures.
A run-a-ball 46 by Shahid Afridi could not prevent Pakistan going down by 26 runs to Easterns.
The 1999 runners-up restricted their hosts to 215 for nine and seemed well set for victory after Afridi and Abdul Razzaq (44) added 79 for the second wicket in only 11 overs.
But the departure of Afridi, who smashed five fours and three sixes, sparked a collapse, Pakistan losing their last nine wickets for 100 runs.
Unbeaten centuries from openers Gary Kirsten and Andrew Hall helped South Africa to complete their preparations with a comfortable 92-run win over domestic champions Western Province in Cape Town.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting and leg-spinner Shane Warne suffered minor injury scares five days before the titleholder's opening match.
Ponting pulled out of yesterday's game against Northerns with a hamstring complaint, and Warne left the field after injuring his finger.
Warne later returned, but conceded 70 runs from eight overs.
Young Northerns' opener Jacques Rudolph contributed a fine knock of 150 to his team's total of 277.
Australia won by five wickets after stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist and Jimmy Maher smashed half-centuries.
England cruised to an eight-wicket win over Border in East London, Nick Knight steering his side to a target of 203 with an unbeaten 81 and his opening partner, Marcus Trescothick, chipping in with 58.
Mahela Jayawardene struck an unbeaten 58 to guide Sri Lanka to a five-wicket victory over Free State at Bloemfontein. They were chasing a modest target of 183.
Kenya continued their impressive preparations with a four-wicket victory over Eastern Province, though they struggled to reach a paltry target of 132.
