Tags: World Cup 2023, Australia vs Pakistan, 18th Match at Bengaluru, Oct 20, 2023, Australia, Pakistan
Scorecard | Commentary | Graphs
In a thrilling match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, October 20, Australia defeated Pakistan by 62 runs, led by brilliant performances from openers David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, as well as spinner Adam Zampa. With this win, Australia secured their second consecutive victory and climbed to fourth position in the points table, pushing Pakistan down to fifth.
Warner and Marsh’s Record-Breaking Partnership
In the 18th match of the 2023 World Cup, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. However, this decision proved costly as Warner (163 off 124) and Marsh (121 off 108) forged a massive opening partnership of 259 runs. This partnership became the second-highest opening partnership in the history of the World Cup. Pakistan’s sloppy fielding only added to their woes, as Warner was dropped early in the match. Warner reached his 21st ODI century, while Marsh celebrated his 32nd birthday with his second one-day hundred.
The partnership was finally broken when Marsh was caught at short fine leg. Glenn Maxwell and Steven Smith failed to contribute much, but Warner continued to anchor the innings. He fell while attempting to go after Haris Rauf. Afridi took valuable wickets for Pakistan, but Australia finished strong with 367/9 on the board.
Zampa’s Impact with the Ball
In the chase, Pakistan started well with openers Abdullah Shafique (64 off 61) and Imam-ul-Haq (70 off 71) adding 134 runs for the first wicket. However, Marcus Stoinis dismissed both openers to give Australia an advantage. Zampa joined the action and showcased his skills, taking crucial wickets including that of Babar Azam. Despite small contributions from Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan struggled to maintain momentum.
Zampa’s leg before wickets to Iftikhar and Rizwan further dented Pakistan’s chances. The rest of the batting lineup collapsed as Pakistan was bowled out for 305 in 45.3 overs. Cummins took the final wicket, dismissing Afridi. Zampa finished with four wickets for Australia, sealing their victory.
