Warner, Marsh and Zampa combine to derail Pakistan

BENGALURU: A record double century opening partnership by David Warner and Mitchell Marsh who both scored centuries and another match-winning spell of leg-spin bowling from Adam Zampa saw Australia coast to a 62 runs win over Pakistan in a Cricket World Cup match played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday.

Pakistan chasing Australia’s mammoth score of 367-9 were right in the chase with 103 required in 12 overs and had Ifthikar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan going strong. But Zampa turned it around for Australia. Having earlier got rid of Babar Azam, he came back for his final spell to trap both Ifthikar and Rizwan lbw in consecutive overs before sealing the deal by having Mohammad Nawaz stumped for finish with 4/53.

The platform was set for Pakistan after the opening stand of 134 between Abdullah Shafique (64) and Imam-ul-Haq (70) on a pitch that remained a belter throughout the day. However, the middle order just couldn’t take the game deep enough. Pakistan lost their last six wickets for just 36.

Pakistan staged a very good comeback at the death overs but Australia still managed to put up 367 on the board. David Warner and Mitchell Marsh were involved in a gigantic 259-run opening partnership but Shaheen Afridi’s excellent five-fer ensured Australia didn’t touch 400.

Things could have turned out differently for Pakistan had the World Cup debutant Usama Mir held on to a skier from Warner. The moment he grassed the easy chance, it was one-way traffic with the two openers posting 82 in the powerplay. By the halfway mark, Australia had 172 on the board. Warner and Marsh became just the third opening pair to register centuries in the same World Cup game as they reached their landmarks off successive deliveries in the same over. It was also Warner’s fourth successive century against Pakistan.

Afridi gave Pakistan some respite striking off consecutive deliveries to dismiss Marsh (121 off 108 balls, 10 fours, 9 sixes) and Glenn Maxwell (0) despite conceding two sixes earlier in the over. Steve Smith then failed to make use of the reprieve he received from Babar Azam at slip by chipping one straight back at Usama but there was just no stopping Warner.

The veteran’s eighth six of the innings took him past 150 in ODI cricket for the seventh time in his career. At 297/3 after 40 overs, it did appear like the five-time world champions would go past the 400-run mark. However, Warner’s dismissal for 163 off 124 balls (14 fours, 9 sixes) turned the tide as Pakistan clawed back through Afridi allowing Australia just 27 runs in the last five overs. – (ST)

Scores: Australia 367-9 (50) (David Warner 163, Mitchell Marsh 121, Marcus Stoinis 21, Shaheen Afridi 5/54, Haris Rauf 3/83)

Pakistan 305 (45.3) (Abdullah Shafique 64, Imam-ul-Haq 70, Mohammad Rizwan 46, Saud Shakeel 30, Ifthikar Ahmed 26, Pat Cummins 2/62, Adam Zampa 4/53, Marcus Stoinis 2/40)