Warner and Marsh hit centuries to help give Australia 62-run win over Pakistan at Cricket World Cup
David Warner and Mitchell Marsh powered Australia to a 62-run victory over Pakistan with their entertaining centuries Friday in the fourth game for both teams at the Cricket World Cup.
Pakistan paid heavily for dropping Warner on 10 as the left-hander blazed his way to 163 off 124 balls and Marsh celebrated his 32nd birthday with a career-best 121 off 108 balls in Australia’s imposing total of 367-9.
Pakistan, which won the toss and elected to field, came back strongly in the last 10 overs with Shaheen Afridi picking 5-54 and Haris Rauf, who was smacked for 24 in his first over by Warner and Marsh, taking 3-83. But the damage done by Warner and Marsh was more than enough to give Australia enough runs on board.
Australia kept coming hard at Pakistan once claiming the wickets of both openers Imam-ul-Haq (70) and Abdullah Shafique (64) before it got Babar Azam's team bowled out for 305 with more than four overs to spare.
“Pretty tough playing here, but good to get a win,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said.
“Openers set the tone (for Australia) and we want to take the game on like that. … Batting for long, like our openers did, was great."
Adam Zampa picked up the key wicket of Babar, the world's top-ranked ODI batter, for yet another unimpressive knock of 18 at this World Cup as the legspinner finished with 4-53.
Marcus Stoinis (2-40) broke through the threatening opening stand by having both Shafique and Imam dismissed in his first two overs before Pakistan's middle-order capitulated.
“First 34 overs with the ball and fielding cost us,” Babar said. “We dropped Warner and such batters ensure they cash in.
