CHENNAI, India: 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 & the hospitality. Alvida doston (Goodbye friends),” he wrote on his Twitter account Monday. “I fly home tonight. Out of the WC & IPL.. Absolutely devastated.” An England team spokesman said the 30-year-old will head home to undergo a hernia operation which the star batsman had hoped to postpone until after the World Cup. ICC has approved Eoin Morgan as a replacement player for Pietersen. Morgan, a 24-year-old middle-order batsman, has played 38 ODIs for England, scoring 1,160 runs at an average of 40. Former Ireland batsman Morgan would have been in England's original squad but for a finger injury. “Eoin Morgan is an exciting cricketer,” England coach Andy Flower told Sky Sports. “It's going to be good to have him back.” Ravi Bopara, Morgan's replacement, made a man-of-the-match winning 60 against South Africa in Chennai. But both Morgan and Bopara are naturally middle-order batsmen, which leaves Flower needing a new opening partner for England captain Andrew Strauss. England coach Andy Flower later said he had hoped Pietersen could “bite the bullet” but that the player had said the pain was “too debilitating”. “The medical advice was that he could get through the tournament,” Flower told the BBC Monday. “The hernia problem that he had would not get significantly worse and he wasn't going to tear anything so we hoped that he would get through the tournament ok, take pain killers when needed and bite the bullet. Unfortunately he says that the pain is too debilitating and he can't go on like that.” Pietersen was due to earn around $650,000 playing for the Deccan Chargers. Review system improves umpiring, says ICC International cricket chiefs said Monday they had issued guidelines to end controversy over the use of the Umpire Decision Review System at the World Cup but backed its use. Ian Bell was given not out when it appeared the England batsman was out lbw on review during their tied match with India, escaping because he was a long way forward. The ICC said correct decisions had risen from an average of 90.18 percent to 97.82 percent thanks to the use of the UDRS system. ICC General Manager David Richardson said the UDRS was working well at the World Cup. “It is a fact that the number of decisions in this event is way above the normal average for ODIs. This is because of the type of wickets that prevail in the subcontinent where the bounce is often lower and where there is a greater amount of turn,” he added. “What it is demonstrating clearly is that the UDRS is helping umpires who are maintaining consistently high levels of performance.” Fans tarnished nation's image, says Hasina Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladeshi fans had “tarnished the image of the nation” as she condemned the stone-throwing incident at the West Indies team bus. Bangladesh supporters in Dhaka reacted with fury Friday after the co-host was skittled for 58 before slumping to a nine-wicket defeat by West Indies in a World Cup Group B match. As West Indies made its way back to the hotel in the team bus, stones were thrown by angry bystanders who thought the coach was carrying the home side. “They (unruly fans) have tarnished the image of the nation and none should be allowed to do anything that will lower our image. I deeply regret the incident,” Hasina told a meeting of her party Monday.
