Australia defeated Pakistan by 62 runs in their Cricket World Cup group game in Bangalore thanks to hundreds from David Warner and Mitchell Marsh in a record opening partnership.
Pat Cummins lost the toss, and Australia were called into bat. Their opening stand of 259 off 203 balls was the best by any team in the World Cup, and it was also the next highest of the tournament. TopCricketBetting continues to keep you up-to-date on all the latest Cricket World Cup rundown. We’ll help you find the top cricket betting sites, too!
Quick Recap: Australia vs Pakistan
Australia reached 367-9 before suffering a brief collapse at the hands of Pakistan, with star spinner Shaheen Shah Afridi doing the bulk of the damage.
In Pakistan’s run chase, the opening partnership between Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq was worth 134 runs off 127 balls before both players were bowled by Marcus Stoinis.
Australia’s Adam Zampa then grabbed control, picking up another four-fer by bowling out Pakistan for 305 in 48.5 overs after having earlier removed Mohammad Rizwan via a successful lbw review.
Very Impressive Innings by Warner
Warner hit 163 off 124 balls, his 21st ODI century and fourth straight against Pakistan, after being caught by leg-spinner Usama Mir (1-82) on 10 in the fifth over. He hit 14 fours and nine sixes during his innings.
The 36-year-old got off to a fast start and reached his half-century in just 39 balls, while Marsh reached his in 40 overs. Australia’s previous record for an opening stand was set in 2011 by Shane Watson and Brad Haddin, who scored 183 against Canada.
By smashing Mohammad Nawaz (0-43) to the cover boundary for four, Marsh reached his second ODI century in style before being run out for a career-high 121 off 108 balls.
Fast bowler Haris Rauf created the crucial blow when he eventually removed Warner, who plunged a cutter to substitute fielder Shadab Khan at long-on. Usama intercepted and struck Steve Smith before he could get going.
Australia’s late-innings collapse began after Warner’s dismissal when they went from 339-5 in the 45th over to 363-9 in the 49th over as Rauf bounced off Marnus Labuschagne and had Josh Inglis caught behind.
Pakistan Falling Short
Pakistan got off to a good start with Shafique hitting a half-century (his second ODI fifty) off 52 balls, but he was out after a bumper from Stoinis nicked the top edge of his bat, and Maxwell finished off the catch. Two overs later, Stoinis struck again to get rid of Pakistan’s other opener, Imam.
Babar Azam, the captain, was a cheap victim of Zampa when he tried a pull shot, and a diving Cummins made a spectacular catch, which led to the dismissal of the opposing captain. Zampa trapped Iftikhar Ahmed lbw and Cummins got rid of Saud Shakeel when Rizwan was at the crease, as he always does.
Two overs later, leg-spinner Zampa dismissed Pakistan’s big-hitter Rizwan for 48, just four runs short of his half-century. After Hasan Ali hit a boundary to deep third to push Pakistan’s total above 300, he was bowled by Australia’s left-armer Mitchell Starc, who preserved his track record of scoring a wicket in every World Cup tournament he has appeared in.
Afridi, who was outed by Cummins, was the last man out as he whacked the ball straight to mid-wicket, where Labuschagne took the final wicket.
Player of the Match: David Warner
With their century, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh made history as only the fourth opening duo in World Cup history. No opening duo from Australia has ever done this before.
Warner has now scored a century against Pakistan in four straight One Day Internationals. He now has as many century against a single team in this format as Virat Kohli, who has four.
Score: Australia v Pakistan
| Australia | 367/9 | 50.0 overs |
| Pakistan | 305 | 45.3 overs |
| Australia won by 62 runs | ||
With the victory, Australia jumped to fourth place in the group table, where they now have a 2–2 record, while Pakistan dropped to fifth place, despite having the same record but a better net run rate. The Cricket World Cup semi-finals will consist of the top four teams.On Wednesday, October 25, Australia will play the Netherlands in Delhi, while on Monday, October 23, Pakistan will play Afghanistan in Chennai. Keep the action going and bet on your favorite teams at the top cricket betting sites now!