CWC 2023: Australia upstages Pakistan by 62 runs

BENGALURU: Brutal hundreds by David Warner and Mitchell Marsh paved the way for Australia’s 62-run win over Pakistan, here on Friday. This was the five-time champion’s second successive win, while Pakistan slumped to its second defeat on the trot. Both teams have two wins and two losses from four matches.

Set to chase a hefty 368, Pakistan put up a spirited fight before losing the plot at the midway stage, losing the last seven wickets for 73 runs. Adam Zampa continued his good form finishing with impressive figures of four for 53. Imam-ul-Haq top-scored with 70 (71b, 10x4). His opening partner Abdullah Shafique too contributed with a half-century of his own scoring 64 (61b, 7x4, 2x6).

Earlier, Warner hammered his 21st ODI hundred, a 124-ball 163, and Marsh his second, a 108-ball 121, as Australia twisted the knife on its opposition through the opening pair who built a massive 259-run association.

It was only fourth instance in World Cup history that both openers notched centuries in the same match.

Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s five-wicket haul (5/54) was just a sad reminder as to what other Pakistan bowlers could have done with a bit of thinking on a vastly underwhelming day.

Warner, who was dropped twice on 10 and 105, and Marsh were at their marauding best against a Pakistan attack that lacked direction on a smooth M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch with a quick outfield adding value to the shots too. All this could have been a tad different for Pakistan had Usama Mir, who replaced Shadab Khan, held on to a simple skier from Warner off Afridi, the best among Pakistan bowlers this day with his clever variations, inside the ring.

From that point, there was no looking back for the Aussies. Pakistan captain Babar Azam gave the ball to Haris Rauf in the ninth over, hoping for a breakthrough.

But the Aussies slipped into the top gear from that over. The right-arm pacer was carted for 24 runs in his first over. Warner started the carnage with a four and six and Marsh finished it with three fours in succession.

Australia notched up its 100 in the 13th over, 200th in the 30th over and 300 in the 41st over.

BRIEF SCORES: Australia 367/9 in 50 overs (D Warner 163, M Marsh 121, S Afridi 5/54, H Rauf 3/83) bt Pakistan 305 in 45.3 overs (I ul Haq 70, A Shafique 64, A Zampa 4/53)