The fear came true. Seeing the rampage of Australia’s two openers, everyone expressed fear that Pakistan is going to be buried in the mountain of runs today. That’s it. In their fourth match in the World Cup, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh scored 367 runs after losing 9 wickets in 50 overs. Pakistan need 368 runs to win.
Australia set the record for the highest runs in the opening pair today when they came to bat against Pakistan. David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, who came down to open for Australia, took individual centuries. But today Warner could go back only 10 runs. But he got a life when Usama Mir dropped his catch at mid-on. And got the life and picked up the century. Another opener Mitchell Marsh scored a century on his birthday. At the end of the scheduled 50 overs, Ajira scored 367 runs.
Earlier, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh opened for Ajid today. Shaheen Afridi appealed for LBW on the first ball of the innings. Pakistan took a review because the umpire did not respond to the request. But even that did not benefit Pakistan. Babar Azam’s team lost the opposite review.
Then the two openers continued to play. David Warner took a catch at mid-on off Shaheen Afridi in the fourth over. But Usama Mir at mid-on failed to palm the easy catch. As a result, Warner got a personal 10 runs.
After 10 runs, Warner and another opener, Mitchell Marsh, started attacking the puck bowlers. With the pair of these two openers, Australia completed the team’s half century with 8 over 2 balls. And picked up 82 runs in the first power play. After that, he took the team’s century in just 12 overs.
Warner, who got life by 10 runs, took a personal half-century in the meantime. He scored 50 runs off just 39 balls. Which includes 5 fours and 3 sixes. Another opener Mitchell Marsh also picked up a half century.
Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir and Mohammad Nawaz could not break this pair despite trying.
Warner, who got life by 10 runs, brought up a century off 85 balls. Which includes 7 fours and 6 sixes. Another opener Mitchell Marsh scored 100 off 100 balls. He hit 10 fours and hit 6 sixes.
Shaheen Afridi finally broke this pair that became terrible. 121 runs off 108 balls Mitchell took Shaheen Afridi’s catch at short fine leg. Earlier, Usama Mir, who dropped the catch to Warner, did not make a mistake this time. He palmed Mitchell Marsh’s catch at short fine leg. After his departure, Australia’s opening pair finally broke for 259 runs.
Glenn Maxwell also returns to the dressing room following the path of Mitchell Marsh. He also went back the very next ball after Mitchell Marsh was dismissed. Babb handed over the catch to Azam and returned to the dressing room.
Steven Smith also followed Glenn Maxwell’s path. After scoring 7 runs off 9 balls, he fell victim to Usama Mir. David Warner, who scored a century, returned to the team’s 325 runs. He returned after handing over the catch to Shadab Khan at long on. He made 163 runs off 124 balls before getting out.
After Warner’s departure, Jos Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood did not add much runs. Australia managed to score 367 runs after losing 9 wickets in the allotted 50 overs.
Shaheen Afridi took 5 wickets, Haris Rauf 3 and Usama Mir 1 wicket for Pakistan.
There has been a change in Pakistan’s playing XI today after the loss against India. Usama Mir got a place in the team instead of Shadab Khan. Meanwhile, Australia is entering the field with an unchanged XI.
Australia XI: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood.
Pakistan XI: Abdullah Shafiq, Imam-ul Haque, Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf.
(20 October/NBW/ES)