ISLAMABAD: Australian openers David Warner and Mitchel March splendid centuries drew their side to a huge total of 367 runs against Pakistan in the ICC Contest being played at Bengaluru on Friday. Booth the openers provided a record partnership of 259 for the opening stand taking Pakistani bowlers in complete pressure.
Earlier winning the toss Babar Aza invited Austria to bat first on a batting paradise. Perhaps it was a good toss to win for the Aussies as both their openers baton charge Pakistanis bowling attack at the rate of above 8 runs per over. The only chance Shaheen Afridi created was missed by Usama at Mid-on via a drop catch. After getting that opportunity Warner didn’t stop and smashed Pakistani bowlers across the boundary. They completed the first 100 runs in just 11 overs.
Both Marsh and Warner completed their century in style and didn’t spare any bowler. Pakistan got some relief when Shaheen strike twice in over number 34. He removed Marsh on 21 and the danger Maxwel on zero. Mitchel Marsh scored 121 including 9 sixes and 10 fours. In the 39th over Pakistan got third wicket when Usama Mir dismissed Steven Smith on 7. At the stage Australia were 284 for 3 in the 39th over.
However, on the other hand David Warner continued to accelerate the inning with the same pace. He also completed his 150 runs. However, on 163 he was dismissed by today’s most expensive bowler Haris Rauf. Warner inning included 9 sixes and 14 boundaries. The dismissal of warner became a nightmare for Pakistan after dropping his catch in the initial overs when he scored just 10 runs. At the stage Australia were 325 for 4 in 42.2 overs.
In the forty fifth over Haris Rauf also dismissed Josh Inglis on 13 when the total reached 339. After warner and Marsh, rest of the batters also added some crucial runs to the total. Josh Inglis was replaced by Marnus Labuschagne who along with Stoinis pushed the scoreboard ahead. However, in the 48th Over Shaheen got the wicket of Stioinis on 21. In 49th over Haris got out Labuschagne on 8 while Shaheen dismissed Star in the last over. After adding few more runs Australia scored 367 runs for the loss of 9 wicket in 50 overs.
Pakistani pacers in the end and spinners in the middle bowled some good deliveries but it was too late to stop Australia from filing a huge total.
From Pakistan Shaheen Afridi was the most successful bowler taking 5 wickets in his 10 over spill while conceding just 54 runs. Haris Rauf also got three wickets but he was very much expensive while conceding 83 runs in his 8 over spill. Usama Mir grabbed one wicket.
Pakistan Team:
Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan †, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Usama Mir
Australia Team:
David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis †, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood
