In an electrifying display of cricket, Australia emerged victorious over Pakistan with a 62-run triumph, marking their second consecutive win in the ongoing World Cup hosted at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India. Despite their strong start, the Australian team set a formidable target, which proved impossible for the Green Shirts.
Australia, batting first, put up an imposing total of 367 runs, the highest tally Pakistan has ever faced in World Cup history. The staggering scoreboard was largely the result of a historic performance by openers David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, who together forged a 259-run partnership. This record-breaking alliance set new standards, becoming Australia’s highest-ever opening stand in World Cup tournaments and the first instance of Pakistan conceding more than a 200-run partnership in the global competition.
Both players achieved personal milestones, with Marsh contributing 121 runs and Warner delivering a staggering 163 runs, setting a new record for the highest individual score against Pakistan in a World Cup match, surpassing the previous 143-run record by Andrew Symonds in 2003.
Pakistan’s Spirited Response Falls Short
Despite a promising 134-run opening partnership between Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique, Pakistan’s chase faltered with the fall of consecutive wickets after their departure. The dismissal of key players, including captain Babar Azam and the threatening Iftikhar Ahmed, crippled Pakistan’s momentum.
Even though Iftikhar Ahmed’s arrival at the crease breathed brief hope into the innings with a flurry of boundaries, his dismissal marked a turning point from which Pakistan could not recover, eventually succumbing for 305 runs in 45.3 overs.
Among the Pakistani bowlers, Shaheen Afridi distinguished himself by claiming five wickets, a commendable achievement constituting his second World Cup five-wicket haul.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf.
Australia: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
