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David Warner and Mitchell Marsh smashed centuries in a record opening partnership to inspire Australia to an emphatic 62-run victory over Pakistan in their Cricket World Cup group game in Bangalore.
The Australian openers shared an incredible partnership worth 259 from 203 balls – the highest opening stand in a World Cup for their side and the second-highest in the competition – after Pat Cummins lost the toss and his team were put in to bat.
Pakistan inflicted a mini collapse at the back-end of the innings, with star bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi (5-54) doing most of the damage, as Australia totalled 367-9.
In the run chase, Pakistan pair Abdullah Shafique (64) and Imam-ul-Haq (70) shared an opening stand worth 134 from 127 balls, with both reaching their half-centuries before they were dismissed by Marcus Stoinis (2-40).
Adam Zampa (4-53) then took charge for Australia as he picked up another four-fer, removing Mohammad Rizwan (46) after a successful lbw review, and when he departed so too did Pakistan’s hopes, as they were bowled out for 305 with four-and-a-half overs remaining.
Warner’s show-stopping innings
Warner made 163 from 124 balls as he notched his 21st ODI century, and his fourth consecutive ton against Pakistan, smashing 14 fours and nine sixes after he was dropped by leg-spinner Usama Mir (1-82) on 10 in the fifth over.
The 36-year-old started well, racing to his half-century in just 39 balls, while birthday-boy Marsh brought up his 50 in 40 deliveries. The pair beat Shane Watson and Brad Haddin’s opening-stand record for Australia of 183 against Canada in 2011.
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David Warner had a stroke of luck as Usama Mir, who was making his World Cup debut, somehow managed to drop one of the easiest catches you will ever see
Marsh was eventually out for a career-best 121 from 108 balls, reaching his second ODI century in style by driving Mohammad Nawaz (0-43) to the cover boundary for four.
The 32-year-old hit 10 boundaries and nine sixes before he top-edged a short and wide delivery from Pakistan’s left-arm fast bowler Afridi that ballooned up at mid-on where Usama completed the catch, partly making up for his costly error earlier.
Afridi struck again from the next ball to dismiss Glenn Maxwell for a golden duck, leaving Australia 259-2 in the 34th over and providing Pakistan with a sliver of hope.
Usama caught and bowled Steve Smith (7) before he managed to get going, while fast bowler Haris Rauf (3-83) made the big breakthrough as he finally removed Warner who parachuted a cutter to substitute fielder Shadab Khan at long-on. He gave Afridi a fist-pump as he walked back to the dug-out with the crowd at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium on their feet.
Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi reacts after Usama Mir drops Australia’s David Warner
After Warner’s dismissal, Australia struggled to build a late partnership, falling from 339-5 in the 45th over to 363-9 in the 49th over, as Rauf dismissed Marnus Labuschagne (8) with a bouncer and had Josh Inglis (13) caught behind.
Afridi mopped up the tail and removed Mitchell Starc (2) and Josh Hazlewood (0) with consecutive deliveries in the final over as the Aussies only added 28 runs to their total in the last five overs.
Pakistan come up short in reply
Shafique hit a 52-ball half-century, the second in his ODI career, as Pakistan made a strong start to their innings but a bumper from Stoinis caught the top edge of his bat and Maxwell completed the catch. Stoinis struck again two overs later, this time to dismiss Pakistan’s other opener Imam.
Skipper Babar Azam (18) fell cheaply to Zampa when he attempted a pull shot and a diving Cummins took a sensational catch to dismiss his fellow captain.
While Rizwan was anchoring the innings, as he so often does, Cummins saw the end of Saud Shakeel (30) and Zampa trapped Iftikhar Ahmed (26) lbw.
Australian players celebrate the wicket of Pakistan’s Abdullah Shafique
Leg-spinner Zampa struck again two overs later, this time dismissing Pakistan’s big-hitter Rizwan four shy of a half-century.
Hasan Ali hit Starc for a boundary to deep third to take Pakistan past 300 but was dismissed the next ball by Australia’s left-armer who maintained his record of taking a wicket in every World Cup match he has played in.
Cummins picked up the final wicket of Afridi who clubbed the ball straight to mid-wicket where Labuschagne sealed the deal.
The win saw Australia move up to fourth place in the group table with two wins from four matches, while Pakistan fell down to fifth place on net run rate with the same record. The top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals.
Babar: We need big partnerships in the middle order
Pakistan captain Babar Azam:
“The first 34 overs in the field cost us.
“We dropped Warner and such batters ensure they cash in. Credit to the quicks and spinners for coming back in the last 15, they hit their lengths and the stumps.
“We got small partnerships but needed big ones in the middle. Honestly, we have to get up to the mark in the first 10 [overs] with ball and partnerships in the middle with the bat.”
Cummins: We’ve set the benchmark
Australia captain Pat Cummins:
“That was great. Pretty tough playing here but good to get a win.
“Proper from the openers. It set the tone and we want to take the game on like that. The key in ODIs is to carry on.
“Zampa has been awesome – showed his class. He’s a wicket taker. We’ve set the benchmark in the last two games and have to keep that going.”
Saturday 21st October 9:00am
What’s next?
Australia head to Delhi to face the Netherlands on Wednesday October 25, while Pakistan come up against Afghanistan in Chennai on Monday October 23.
Both games are live on Sky Sports Cricket with coverage from 9am ahead of the first ball at 9.30am.
Watch England vs South Africa also live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 9am on Saturday (first ball at 9.30am).
Follow the match across skysports.com and the Sky Sports App with a live over-by-over text blog and in-game video clips. You can also stream the games with NOW.
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