“In the 2023 World Cup, Australia secured their second victory of the tournament by defeating Pakistan, with standout performances from Warner, Marsh, and Zampa highlighted in the match.”

“Australia climbed above Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup standings by registering a remarkable 62-run triumph in Bengaluru. The foundation for their victory was laid with exceptional centuries from David Warner and Mitchell Marsh in a historic opening partnership, amassing 259 runs. This partnership paved the way for Australia to reach a total of 367 for nine, boosting their chances for a spot in the semi-finals following previous losses to India and South Africa.

Warner’s 163 from 124 balls, his fifth World Cup century and the highest individual score in the tournament, was particularly noteworthy, especially since he had a narrow escape when Usama Mir dropped a challenging catch when Warner was at 10. Marsh, celebrating his 32nd birthday, contributed with his second one-day international hundred, scoring 121 runs off 108 deliveries. Their partnership surpassed Australia’s previous best opening stand of 183 in a World Cup and ranked as the second-highest in the tournament’s history. Although they seemed poised for a total of over 400 runs, only Marcus Stoinis (21) and Josh Inglis (13) managed to reach double figures as Pakistan started to take wickets regularly from the 34th over onwards. Shaheen Afridi concluded with an impressive five wickets for 54 runs from his 10 overs, and Haris Rauf added three wickets to Pakistan’s tally.

In response, Pakistan achieved their first World Cup century from an opening partnership since 2015, as Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq managed a partnership of 134 runs. Shafique and Imam both received lifelines when they were at 27 and 48, as substitute fielder Sean Abbott and captain Pat Cummins missed chances to dismiss them.

Stoinis eventually dismissed Shafique (64) and Imam (70) before Adam Zampa took the crucial wicket of Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, who scored 18. Mohammad Rizwan, contributing 46 runs from 40 balls, and some aggressive hitting from Saud Shakeel and Iftikhar Ahmed gave Pakistan hope of achieving a record World Cup chase. However, Zampa’s four wickets for 53 runs and Australia’s consistent pressure led to Pakistan’s dismissal for 305 runs in 45.3 overs, elevating Australia to fourth place in the standings.

Captain Pat Cummins expressed his satisfaction, saying, “We’ve set the standard in the last two matches, and we need to maintain it. This was a fantastic win. Warner and Marsh set the tone for how we want to play our cricket. They attacked the game with over 80 runs in the powerplay, and that’s all you can ask for. Batting for 25 to 30 overs was significant. This stadium and pitch can be challenging for bowlers at times, but we persisted and maintained an aggressive approach with well-executed bouncers.”