Australia secured a commanding 62-run victory over Pakistan, setting an imposing target of 368 runs. The turning point of the match occurred early on when Pakistani fielder Usama Mir dropped a straightforward catch from David Warner’s bat in the fourth over. The missed opportunity came from Shaheen Afridi’s bowling and proved to be extremely costly for the Pakistani team.
David Warner capitalized on this reprieve and unleashed a spectacular innings, smashing the Pakistani bowling attack on his way to scoring 163 runs off 124 balls. His remarkable knock included 14 boundaries and 9 sixes.
Had Usama Mir held on to that catch, the outcome of the game might have been different, and perhaps the dropped chance wouldn’t have been so decisive? He was making his first appearance in the World Cup, having replaced Shadab Khan.
Pakistan’s leading pace bowler, Haris Rauf, struggled and proved to be expensive, conceding 83 runs in his 8 overs. Despite eventually picking up three wickets and improving in his later spells, his initial performance wasn’t up to the mark.
Haris also set an undesirable record by conceding the fastest fifty runs in the history of the ODI World Cup. He gave away 50 runs in just 21 balls, registering the fastest ‘half-century’ ever conceded by a bowler in the history of the ODI World Cup.
In contrast, Shaheen Afridi emerged as the standout bowler for Pakistan on a flat track. He claimed a 5-wicket haul while giving away 54 runs in his 10 overs. His performance was pivotal in limiting Australia to 367-9 when it appeared they might surpass the 400-run mark.
The Pakistani batsmen began the chase positively, with openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq forming a formidable opening partnership of 134 runs. Abdullah contributed 64 runs, and Imam scored 70 runs.
However, Pakistan’s innings faltered after the fall of these openers, with none of the subsequent batters managing to reach fifty runs. This inability to build substantial partnerships was a primary factor in their failure to chase down the daunting target.
The dismissal of the Pakistan team captain, Babar Azam, further compounded their woes, as the pressure mounted, and the required run rate became increasingly challenging. Pakistan was eventually bowled out for 305 runs.
Pakistan now faces the critical task of regaining momentum in the tournament. Their next World Cup match is against Afghanistan, a team that has already sprung a major upset by defeating the defending champions, England. This upcoming clash presents a significant challenge for Babar Azam and his team as they strive to get back on track in the competition.