Openers David Warner and Mitchell Marsh hit reckless hundreds against a sloppy Pakistan to take Australia to 367-9 in their Cricket World Cup 2023 match in Bengaluru on Friday. Warner survived a leg-before appeal on the very first ball of the match and was then dropped at 10 in the fifth over, before cracking a punishing 124-ball 163 after Australia were sent on to bat on a flat Chinnaswamy Stadium -field. Marsh, celebrating his 32nd birthday, smashed a 108-ball 121 as the pair raced to an opening Australian World Cup record 259 by the 34th over, to the delight of 30,000 spectators.
Pakistan’s successful chase of 345 runs against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad ten days ago is the highest in the history of the World Cup.
Their highest ODI chase was also against Australia, 349 in Lahore last year.
Warner’s innings had 14 boundaries and nine towering sixes as he and Marsh spared none of the Pakistani bowlers. Marsh’s knock was peppered with ten boundaries and nine sixes.
Their stand – just 23 short of the World Cup opening record of 282 set by Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan against Zimbabwe at Pallekele in 2011 – was helped by poor Pakistani bowling and fielding.
David Warner does Pushpa celebration after the hundred. pic.twitter.com/wSNKPuUIV9
– Johannes. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 20, 2023
It was the turning point in the innings when Warner’s misplaced shot off Shaheen Shah Afridi flew into the air but Usama Mir, replacing Shadab Khan in the side, slipped the ball between shaking hands.
Warner made the most of his reprieve as he and Marsh hit four boundaries and a first over of six from pacer Haris Rauf for 24 in total.
A Pushpa trademark of David Warner after reaching the century in Chinnasaamy #AUSvsPAK
— VINEETH𓃵 (@sololoveee) October 20, 2023
Australia hit 82 in the first powerplay and completed 200 in the 30th over.
Warner completed his second World Cup century – and 21st overall – with single spinner Mohammad Nawaz off 85 balls, while Marsh reached his second ODI hundred with a six in the same over, taking 100 balls.
Ironically, it was Mir who caught Marsh off Shaheen to break the tie in the 34th over.
Glenn Maxwell, brought on at three to maintain the momentum, fell first ball, taken by Babar Azam off Shaheen, while Steve Smith was caught and bowled by Mir for seven.
Warner continued the carnage with three more sixes before falling to Rauf and holding out for long on.
Australia’s previous highest World Cup opening score was 183, set by Brad Haddin and Shane Watson against Canada at the same venue in 2011.
Shaheen, who finished with 5-54, helped Pakistan come back in the last ten overs with six wickets falling for 70 runs. Rauf took 3-83.
(This story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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