Australia move from 10th to 4th. That’s a pretty good few days, wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan getting their World Cup campaign on track at last. Their next assignment is the Dutch on Wednesday in Delhi, a game they cannot take lightly after South Africa were caught short by them. As for Pakistan, who registered a couple of wins to begin, they need to get back on the horse right away against rivals Afghanistan at Chennai on Monday after dropping two on the trot.
Righto, that’s me done. Thanks for your company and make sure you return to the OBO tomorrow morning for England vs South Africa at the Wankhede. Bye!
David Warner is player of the match for his 162
Pakistan were in the hunt deep into the chase. But losing their last five wickets for 33, well, that’s the story in a nutshell. Everything must go right to chase 368.
Dave Warner joins Simon Doull. To begin, says his groin niggle, which prevented him from fielding, isn’t that serious – some cramping. “I felt like I was a little bit of luck away” from getting into the tournament – and that’s what he got when dropped on 10. But boy, didn’t he make the most of it putting on 259 with Marsh.
AUSTRALIA WIN BY 62 RUNS! Shaheen c Labuschagne b Cummins 10 off 8 (Pakistan all out 305)
Short, pulled, caught! Australia get the job done – they’re back in business.
45th over: Pakistan 301-9 (Shaheen 6, Rauf 0) Target 368. Rauf survives. Starc 1/65 from his eight. Can Cummins now finish it off?
@collinsadam in the stadium, what an amazing place to watch cricket 🙏 odd chase from Pakistan, they didn't seem to be pressing at all then they weren't suddenly in it, then not so much 🤷 but we also got on Indian TV which was a bonus :) pic.twitter.com/2f8Ssyan6b
— davidrelph (@david_relph) October 20, 2023
Best ground in India, imho.
WICKET! Hasan c Inglis b Starc 8 from 8 (Pakistan 301-9)
The streak continues! Hasan jumps across his stumps with a view to popping the left-armer over fine leg but gets an edge instead. Far from Starc’s best night but had he gone wicketless, it would’ve generated several annoying articles about his World Cup streak being over so that’s now put to bed. One wicket to go.
44th over: Pakistan 292-8 (Shaheen 1, Hasan 4) Target 368. Hasan Ali is a fighter, he won’t quit here, and that’s shown when picking Hazlewood up over mid-on for four. But he’s just too good when the pressure is on. A bit of chat on telly about Starc never missing out on a wicket in a World Cup game, and he’s on next.
WICKET! Nawaz st Inglis b Zampa 14 off 16 (Pakistan 287-8)
Zampa’s final over includes a Nawaz blast over long on for… SIX! Thinks about doing the same thing again but the wrong’un makes that impossible – a fine response, nearly bowled him. And a carbon copy beats the edge with him strolling, Inglis does the rest! Stumped! Zampa picks up a second four-wicket bag in a row, his return of 4/53 including both Iftikar and Rizwan. Clutch performance.
“May I nominate Adam Zampa as the man of the match even now?” asks Sujit A. “Facing all the flak coming into the match, in conditions which could not be more against him, he has been exceptional!”
Going to be hard to overlook Warner after 162 but he’s in my votes, that’s for sure.
43rd over: Pakistan 287-8 (Shaheen 0) Target 368.
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42nd over: Pakistan 274-7 (Nawaz 5, Shaheen 0) Target 368. Hazlewood 9-1-32-1. In terms of economy rate, basically twice as good as the match average.
“Hi Adam.” Simon McMahon, good afternoon to you. “From SUPER OVER!!! to just OVER in the blink of an eye. Runs on the board, eh?”
Spot on. They had to hold their nerve and have done so pretty well.
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WICKET! Usama c Starc b Hazlewood 0 off 3 (Pakistan 277-7)
And that’ll be it. Hazlewood, who has bowled so well, gets his reward via a top edge down to long leg, Starc taking a low catch. Usama’s sorry debut is complete.
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41st over: Pakistan 274-6 (Nawaz 2, Usama 0) Target 368. The game-within-a-game is Australia being at least three overs behind their required over rate, which means they need this to be completely iced by over 47 – something like that. But from here, it should be. Zampa’s over brings the wicket but only two runs.
Except Pat Cummins, every other bowler for Australia tonight has called the Chinnaswamy Stadium home as an RCB player at some stage. Wonder if all that experience will come in handy at some point #AusvPak #CWC23
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) October 20, 2023
WICKET! Rizwan lbw b Zampa 46 from 40 (Pakistan 274-6)
Umpire’s call is enough for Zampa! The googly again from Zampa, Rizwan misreading and trying to pull, hit on the back thigh and into enough of leg stump. Zampa doing just what he did against Sri Lanka, albeit in much tougher conditions and far greater scoreboard pressure: hitting pads in front of the pegs.
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IS RIZWAN LBW TO ZAMPA TOO? Given out on the field. Up we go again!
40th over: Pakistan 272-5 (Rizwan 45, Nawaz 1) Target 368. Hazlewood has been outstanding tonight – 8-1-29-0 his return so far. He gives Pakistan nothing here other than three singles. 96 left in the final ten – if they get it, this will be special.
39th over: Pakistan 269-5 (Rizwan 43, Nawaz 0) Target 368. 97 from 66 with Iftikar there feels very different. It pretty much all comes down to Rizwan now.
WICKET! Iftikar lbw b Zampa 26 from 20 (Pakistan 269-5)
The Zampa googly does it! He always has those stumps in play and big Ifti, going back to cut, didn’t get his blade down in time. An easy decision for the TV ump with the ball hitting the back pad first, ball tracking showing it hitting middle.
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HAS ZAMPA TRAPPED IFTIKAR LBW? If it is pad first, Australia will have their man… upstairs we go.
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38th over: Pakistan 265-4 (Rizwan 42, Iftikar 23) Target 368. And AGAIN – six more to begin the over! Ifti HAMMERS Stoinis into the sight screen, back over his head. Rizwan, who hasn’t enjoyed much strike of late, does enjoy a shorter ball later in the over, getting down low to pull it over fine leg in unorthodox but effective fashion. 13 off it and 27 from the last two. Zampa’s turn. Fun!
37th over: Pakistan 252-4 (Rizwan 37, Iftikar 15) Target 368. Here comes IFTI! One of the cleanest hitters in world cricket, the man who looked like he was 40 since he was 27, launches Cummins for TWO big ones over midwicket into the crowd. That’s their first sixes since over number 14, I’m told by TV – that was how Australia built their score earlier today. But Ifti is the man who can catch up quickly; now the key. If he bats for 40 balls, they’ll be most of the way to 368.
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36th over: Pakistan 238-4 (Rizwan 36, Iftikar 2) Target 368. This is screw-turning time for Australia, before Iftikar can get into his boshing rhythm. Good again from Cummins to get Stoinis back at the right time – six from the over, which works for them at this stage. The required rate is up to 9.3 an over. Cummins has four of the last 14, Starc, Hazlewood and Zampa three each. He’ll also need one more from Stoinis or Maxwell – probably the former on the evidence of his work so far.
Cummins STRIKES! ❌
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) October 20, 2023
A fine catch from Stoinis and Saud Shakeel is OUT! pic.twitter.com/cpQQTWFAhD
35th over: Pakistan 232-4 (Rizwan 34, Iftikar 0) Target 368. Four dots to the big-hitting Ifti after the Skakeel wicket; that’s a huuuge over from the skipper.
WICKET! Shakeel c Stoinis b Cummins 30 from 31 (Pakistan 232-4)
The Cricket Ground DJ brings on Australian classic, The Easybeats - Friday On My Mind, as Marcus Stoinis drags in a critical catch. It’s the captain Cummins, back for a third spell, who locates a top edge from the left-hander Shakeel, an attempted pull spitting out to cover, Stoinis holding his nerve running back with the flight.
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34th over: Pakistan 231-3 (Rizwan 33, Shakeel 30) Target 368. More Maxwell, who has two jobs: get through without going around and get through quickly. A reminder that as soon as the cut-off time is met, Australia will have to bring a fifth fielder inside the circle at the death. And as it was in his previous over, it starts well before Shakeel lines him up, pulling from back of a length over midwicket – his fifth boundary. The required rate is 8.6 an over… they’re a big chance here.
33rd over: Pakistan 222-3 (Rizwan 29, Shakeel 25) Target 368. Mid-off and mid-on are inside the circle for Starc v Shakeel, which means, as Shane Watson reinforces on TV, they’re going to be banging it in. But mindful of this too, it means the left-hander can camp on the back foot and wait, doing this perfectly from the third ball of the over, pulling over wide mid-on for four. Sensible batting again. Starc gets away with one later on, a bouncer that should surely be called a wide for height but isn’t – how’s he gotten away with that? “I concur,” agrees Watto, “that looked high.” Ohh, more brilliance from Shakeel to finish, predicting Starc’s full ball at the pegs, jumping across his stumps before shovelling it over his right shoulder – four more! Australia are only a couple of wickets away from turning the screws but these two are doing a super job so far with their stand worth 47.
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32nd over: Pakistan 213-3 (Rizwan 29, Shakeel 17) Target 368. Another factor: Australia are three overs behind their required rate, which means they will, at some stage, have a fielder moved back inside the circle. Remember Starc’s eight-minute over at the start? Anyway, that prompts the return of Maxwell who is sprinting back to his mark after every ball in an effort to sneak this through inside 90 seconds. And it goes nicely until the final ball, just one single from five to that point, but Rizwan won’t let the off-spinner dictate terms so he charges down the track and pops the ball over mid-off man, who is inside the ring, for four. Clever.
31st over: Pakistan 208-3 (Rizwan 25, Shakeel 16) Target 368. Teams are so well-drilled now that this scenario – thinking of the time left as a T20 – is something Cummins and co would’ve played out before the tournament. But the same applies for Pakistan. With Starc to deal with, short of his best so far here, Rizwan breaks the run of singles with a fierce pull across the line to make the most of the round-the-wicket angle. He looks bang up for this. 160 from 114 needed.
30th over: Pakistan 200-3 (Rizwan 19, Shakeel 14) Target 368. Back from drinks and his concussion Test, Shakeel lifts Hazlewood over mid-on for four. That’s a beautiful shot – hold the pose. Shakeel isn’t one of Pakistan’s more high-profile stars but he’s looking good and has to score heavily and quickly from here.
29.4 overs: Pakistan 196-3 (Rizwan 19, Shakeel 10) Target 368. Bouncer, four. Shakeel didn’t know where that was going but over the ‘keeper is safe enough. Oh, that hit the helmet not the bat so the umpires have called for both a concussion test and the drinks break. The required run rate is 8.5. Manageable.
29th over: Pakistan 190-3 (Rizwan 18, Shakeel 10) Target 368. As it has been throughout the chase, whenever Pakistan need a good over they seem to get one with nine runs off Zampa. Shakeel has the only boundary, tucking Zampa fine of the man on the edge of the circle – they need the left-hander to fly tonight.
“Afternoon Adam.” Brian Withington! Great to hear from you. “Although it feels like Pat Cummins just held the catch that wins this game, let’s hope it’s at least a close one - I’ve not done any numbers but I’m guessing this has been a particularly one-sided start to the competition in historical terms?”
Not wrong. The closest finish was Pakistan’s chase over Sri Lanka? And that was wrapped up at least a couple of overs before the end for a comfortable win.
28th over: Pakistan 181-3 (Rizwan 16, Shakeel 3) Target 368. Huge shout for leg before… not out. Looks to be pitching just outside leg so the new bowler, Hazlewood, doesn’t encourage Cummins to review it. After three dots – remember how many of those the opening bowler sent down in his first spell – Shakeel gets a single. We get a DRS projection of the lbw appeal and it was pitching in-line with leg stump but it was going over the pegs. Two singles; spot on. He has 0/20 from six – the tidiest bowler on show from either side in this high-scoring affair.
27th over: Pakistan 179-3 (Rizwan 15, Shakeel 2) Target 368. Replay after replay of Cummins’ dive. As Ian Bishop says on comms, this is the guy bowling down the other end and having to make all the decisions – had to be switched on to his job in there at midwicket and was. Five from the over and the massive Babar wicket.
“Australia should WIN!” says Justin Christopher. With Babar gone, they must.
𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗞𝗘𝗡! ❌
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) October 20, 2023
Stoinis into the attack and gets the MUCH-NEEDED wicket of Shafique! pic.twitter.com/k43jeb9KyP
WCKET! Babar c Cummins b Zampa 18 off 14 (Pakistan 175-3)
Brilliant from Cummins! He catches his opposite number with a dive to his right at midwicket. He’s nailed his bowling change there too, getting Zampa straight back on after the two wickets from Stoinis and it’s paid off two balls later. A huge moment, seeing the back of Babar, who looked in sparkling touch from the get-go.
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26th over: Pakistan 174-2 (Babar 18, Rizwan 13) Target 368. The quieter over Australia were after, five singles off Stoinis. Zampa and Maxwell, when they go back to their spinners? Big decisions to come for the captain Cummins.
25th over: Pakistan 169-2 (Babar 16, Rizwan 11) Target 368. Rizwan’s turn! The new man has form against Australia. I was lucky enough to be at Karachi commentating on the enthralling Test there last year where Babar batted for two days for the better part of 200 then Rizwan hit a three-hour ton to nearly haul down 500-odd before securing the draw. Wild scenes. With Cummins back on, the wicketkeeper-bat is straight into him with a delicate cut for four before thumping a slap past mid off for a second boundary. Ten off it. At the halfway mark, Pakistan need to go at eight an over, which is about right from their perspective.
24th over: Pakistan 159-2 (Babar 16, Rizwan 1) Target 368. Just as it was in the previous successful Stoinis over, it’s capped with a beautiful Babar boundary, turned through the legside from the off-stump line. He’s so good.
WICKET! Imam c Starc b Stoinis 70 off 71 (Pakistan 154-2)
Stoinis pumps his arms in celebration for a second time in two overs! Imam has done just about everything right until this point, but the upper cut he was committed to doesn’t clear Starc on the third man rope – a safe low catch is snaffled, and a crucial one at that. That was loaded with risk with the man back.
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23rd over: Pakistan 151-1 (Imam 69, Babar 10) Target 368. The balance of Starc’s overs will be used carefully, maybe across two further spells after this. His fifth over begins here with Imam placing a single behind point. Later in the set, one sneaks past Babar’s inside edge with a tiny touch of movement. But not just content with singles, Imam ends the over with a ferocious pull over midwicket to bring up Pakistan’s 150! He made room, giving Starc his stumps to aim at, but when it was banged in he was able to free the arms and give it everything. Australia were 169-0 at this point but they didn’t finish that well. Great stuff.
“Hi Adam, enjoying the OBO as per usual.” Thank you, Tom Barrington. “Is this the first game that we’ve seen where both sides have maintained a strong attacking intent after the powerplay during the middle overs? Is it the conditions or because both teams need the win desperately? Aided by bad fielding? Great to see Pakistan keeping their foot down after a period of consolidation.”
And because of it, we are some chance of seeing our first close finish of the comp!
22nd over: Pakistan 143-1 (Imam 63, Babar 8) Target 368. Pakistan’s middle-overs master, Babar Azam, walks to the middle boasting an average of 75 against Australia in ODIs. And whaddayaknow, he begins here with a controlled and well-placed pull – a boundary second ball. And another, flicking out in the same direction off the front foot – fine timing. Eventful over, the wicket also coming.
WICKET! Shafique c Maxwell b Stoinis 64 off 61 (Pakistan 134-1)
And they do get something! Via the big right arm of Stoinis, who strikes with his first ball of the night. Banged in, top edge, goes nowhere – Maxwell takes the easy chance. The Cricket Ground DJ plays Working Class Man. They’re away… at last.
21st over: Pakistan 134-0 (Shafique 64, Imam 63) Target 368. Starc is back but… the ball isn’t hooping, at all. He can be expensive at his pace. But not here – three singles, which Australia will take at this point. They really need something soon.
Really enjoyed this from Ewan Glenton on Zaheer Abbas, who Geoff Lemon and I regularly talk about on The Final Word Podcast on our weekend history show!
When Rassie van der Dussen reached 2000 ODI runs last week, I saw the list of the quickest batters to reach that milestone, headed by Amla (40 innings), then after him, all in 45 knocks, VDR, Kevin Pietersen, Babar Azam and Zaheer Abbas. Checking out Zaheer’s stats compared to his contemporaries (so early 70s to mid-80s) it stands out that he had an ODI strike rate of 85, which is comparable to the likes of Root & Smith nowadays (both 87), and though they’re not super express scorers they’re generally considered quick enough and aptly suited to the modern game, I think. Well, going that far back, unless I’m overlooking someone you’ll find nobody among elite batsmen who exceeded that except the inevitable Viv Richards (SR 90), and I can only find one (Clive Lloyd, 81) who even gets close. Most of the macho bat-swinging all-rounders of the time (Hadlee, Botham, Imran) were way, way behind, with only Kapil Dev (a stonking 95) standing up to comparison. Standout ODI performers of the time (Alan Lamb, Gordon Greenidge, Martin Crowe, Robin Smith…) are also far behind, with SRs in the 60s & 70s. Then fast forward a generation or two and you’ll find even Ponting, Hayden, Brian Lara, all much slower; Tendulkar’s was similar at 86, as was Pietersen’s (also 86, and I think even by modern standards KP’s hardly looked upon as a slouch, right?). So basically I think Pakistan can claim that Zaheer (who interestingly had a higher average in ODIs (48) than in tests (45) which was extremely rare too) is the only “elite” batsman, together with Richards, who was playing a good modern ODI game 30 to 40 years ahead of his time. Just wanted to quickly get that tribute in and say kudos to Zaheer, to give Pakistan fans something to smile and wave their arms about before they (however valiantly it turns out to be) lose this match.
20th over: Pakistan 131-0 (Shafique 62, Imam 62) Target 368. That’s a big over for Pakistan sticking it to Maxwell. He’s really not done anything wrong there but 15 runs are taken through enterprising, clever batting. Shafique begins by making room and lifting over point – it’s a messy stroke but there’s nobody out there; a calculated risk. Next, a dance down the track then a thump past the bowler in his follow-through – beautiful to watch. Imam’s turn comes later the over, also using his feet before lifting over extra cover. Both openers are in and making smart decisions. 72 runs were added in the second ten overs after 59 in the first.
19th over: Pakistan 116-0 (Shafique 53, Imam 56) Target 368. My sense is that Zampa’s remaining overs will be vital in the final analysis of this game. He’s been much better to begin than in the first three games, conceding 24 runs across his first five overs but he has the stumps in play throughout – not easy as a leggie.
Shafique and Imam both raises their 50s
18th over: Pakistan 112-0 (Shafique 51, Imam 54) Target 368. To long on to begin, and that’s Shafique to 50 in 50 balls. He had that chance, put down by the sub Sean Abbott at backward square, but a fine innings. Oh, now another DROPPED CATCH and this time it’s the captain. Inside the circle at midwicket, Imam pulls hard enough to burst through his hands. Maxwell’s frustration grows later in the over when the left-hander tickles him fine of the man at the 45 before running down for four. That’s his eighth boundary and brings up his half-century too. That’s his fifth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs v Australia (thanks again, TV).
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17th over: Pakistan 104-0 (Shafique 49, Imam 48) Target 368. Singles and dots against Zampa until the final ball when the legspinner drops short enough to prompt Imam to go back and cut behind point – he gets four for that. The 100-run stand is also up, the first for Pakistan in World Cups since 2015, the TV tells me.
16th over: Pakistan 97-0 (Shafique 47, Imam 43) Target 368. Maxwell after the drink and he’s straight on it – hasn’t put a foot wrong with the ball since his return from injury just before the tournament. Three singles off. Interesting – the umpire has just told both teams there is no DRS for the time being with Simon Doull adding that there’s been a power outage. Pressure on the men in the middle.
Not sure if Mitch Marsh’s shoelace-tying skills are world-renowned but Abdullah Shafique made sure he bypassed a few other Aussie players & the umpire to make sure he had his laces done up by Marsh #AusvPak #CWC23
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) October 20, 2023
15th over: Pakistan 94-0 (Shafique 45, Imam 42) Target 368. Cummins ensures that it’s only singles from Zampa when throwing himself across the turf at midwicket to save a couple. The leggie isn’t far away with a leading edge to finish but there’s nobody at catching cover – understandably at this stage. Drinks!
Shaheen Shah Afridi has taken 25 wickets from just 9 games in World Cups.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 20, 2023
- He has a six wicket haul at Lord's & five wicket haul at Chinnaswamy stadium. pic.twitter.com/OhUhiu3aWn
14th over: Pakistan 90-0 (Shafique 43, Imam 40) Target 368. BANG! “That’s making a statement to Pat Cummins!” says Shane Watson in relation to Shafique’s powerful pull over midwicket to finish the over. The plan is to bounce the opener out as the Australian captain nearly did in his previous over with the dropped catch but he had all the time in the world there, eventually given as a SIX by the TV umpire – the first big one of Pakistan’s chase. The required rate from here until the end is 7.7 and they’re currently going at 6.4 – very good going.
13th over: Pakistan 81-0 (Shafique 36, Imam 38) Target 368. Watto, bless the big rig. They cut to comm box cam between overs and, having had some unflattering pictures of him all over social media when bursting out of his shirt the last few days, says “better make sure the shirt is okay first!” – one of the great people in cricket, Our Shane. To the cricket: Zampa to Imam doesn’t go quite so well this time with the left-hander dancing and launching over his head for four. He’s always been light on his feet, never worried about coming out of his ground to the spinners – he’ll need to do a lot of that to dictate terms in these middle overs.
12th over: Pakistan 73-0 (Shafique 34, Imam 32) Target 368. DROPPED AND SIX! Sean Abbott is the man at backward square; the sub. Cummins set it up well to Shafique, going full and fuller, conceding a boundary doing so, then banging it in perfectly, finding the top edge… down it goes! At this level, that’s an easy chance, even with him standing right on the boundary when it arrived. His fingers weren’t pointed up or down, more to the side – it’s over the rope and Abbott is fuming.
“Adam.” John Starbuck! “As we sit here suffering under the incessant Yorkshire rain, it prompts me to ask: how is the dew and how are they compensating for it?”
Aaron Finch said at the start of Pakistan’s chase that it wasn’t too much of a factor but we’ve seen the Australians furiously drying the ball between deliveries. Short of that, it’s all about preparation for bowlers. Watching training for one-day series, they dunk older balls in water to ready themselves for these very conditions.
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11th over: Pakistan 61-0 (Shafique 23, Imam 31) Target 368. Zampa was player of the match against Sri Lanka for his four wickets in a welcome return form but once again, as he said himself, started poorly in his first few overs before it clicked. It makes these opening exchanges with the legspinner all the more important, and the fact that only two runs have been taken here a handy start.
“Good afternoon Adam.” Krishnamoorthy – lovely to hear from you. “With Pakistan one never knows. They may be causing at 170-0 in 28 overs and crumble to 230 all out. They are Arsenal of cricket.” Part of their charm, of course!
10th over: Pakistan 59-0 (Shafique 22, Imam 31) Target 368. Hazlewood has done a brilliant job taking the sting out of that power play just when it risked getting right out of control – 40 in the first five, 15 in the second five. The big right-armer has 0/18 from his end with four singles here, nothing they’ll be worried about. But Pakistan have reached this point at a run a ball without a wicket falling and the spinners about to come on – this will be fascinating. Here comes Adam Zampa.
9th over: Pakistan 55-0 (Shafique 20, Imam 29) Target 368. 14 runs from one end, 41 the other. Cummins gives Shafique something to pull late in his over and he makes the most of it. Not a bad shout to test the right-hander upstairs but he gets this down away from the fielder at long leg. One over left until the field spreads.
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8th over: Pakistan 48-0 (Shafique 16, Imam 27) Target 368. Hazlewood follows his expensive second over with a maiden and now two off – a couple of singles, nothing else going on for Pakistan. This tends to be when he’s given a break as well with Maxwell trusted to bowl with the field up but it’s difficult to know what’s going on with the dew at this stage – such a big factor after dark.
7th over: Pakistan 46-0 (Shafique 15, Imam 26) Target 368. No surprise to see Cummins bringing himself on, replacing Starc. Straight away he’s banging it into that familiar shoebox short of a length at Imam, but when the strike moves to Shafique the right-hander gets down the track just far enough to swing through the line and pop it over the Aussie captain’s head for four. That’s superb batting.
6th over: Pakistan 40-0 (Shafique 10, Imam 25) Target 368. Hazlewood has been such an important weapon for Australia in this format of the game over the last couple of years – to think he wasn’t picked for this tournament in 2019. Just as this power play is slipping out of control, he sends down a very tidy maiden to Shafique, who would’ve been risking his wicket by attacking anything here.
5th over: Pakistan 40-0 (Shafique 10, Imam 25) Target 368. Pakistan are flying here – faultless chasing with the field up. Starc, starts with another wide, his fifth, then feeds Imam on his pads – he doesn’t miss out, four more. After flicking two more, the left-hander clips through midwicket again, backing that there would be no swing and getting it right. All told, 12 off the over and Starc has 0/28 off three.
4th over: Pakistan 28-0 (Shafique 9, Imam 15) Target 368. Two more boundaries to start Hazlewood’s new over! So, the third over in a row where a four has been hit from the first delivery – super stuff. It’s not a pretty shot, pulling off the splice, but the outfield is rapid. Imam then carves another shortish ball through point. It prompts Hazlewood to go around the wicket and it works, hitting a pad and appealing (unsuccessfully), before beating the edge. Game on? Feels like it.
3rd over: Pakistan 20-0 (Shafique 9, Imam 7) Target 368. Shafique’s turn to unfurl an elegant drive, Starc placed perfectly through the packed cover region for four – that’s the way to build up pressure early in an over. And four more later in the through behind point – on the front foot, backing his swing, racing away to the rope. Reminds me of the shot he played off Starc in the first over of the Test at Pindi last year – he’s such a fine player to watch. He gets on to another drive to finish but it’s cut off at cover – that was flying to the rope too had it found a gap. This is exactly what the Pakistan openers needed to do off the top here.
2nd over: Pakistan 12-0 (Shafique 1, Imam 7) Target 368. Shot! Imam square driving to Hazlewood’s first ball, beating Maxwell’s full-blooded dive at backward point, away to the rope. That’s not without risk on the angle, but perfectly executed. But sure enough, Hazlewood is straight back to where he needs to be just a fraction back of a length, no further runs coming. The final delivery is encouraging for the big quick, taking off into the gloves of Inglis.
1st over: Pakistan 8-0 (Shafique 1, Imam 3) Wide first ball, so Starc doesn’t get the chance to review right away as he did against Sri Lanka and Shaheen did to begin today’s match. Both shockers. Make that two wides. But third time’s a charm, getting angle and hoop right, beating Shafique’s inside edge – he’s picked up so many World Cup wickets with offerings just like that. But back down leg again straight away – sloppy. And another! Four wides; one legal delivery. These are way down leg too. It’s the prompt for Starc to call for a chance of boots, specifically, a new right shoe. Aaron Finch on comms explains that he sometimes calls for longer spikes when sliding a bit – makes sense. Anyway, the next ball is back to where he needs to be, full and straight. Still four legal balls in this over – Mitch, you’re killing me here mate. Now he’s past the outside edge, looking for a booming drive, but there’s no shape back on this one. A single off the outside edge, albeit straight to the ground, gets him off the mar to third man. Imam’s turn and he drives square through a gap and it looks a boundary but Labuschagne puts in a perfect dive to drag it in inches away from the rope. An eight-minute over.
The players are on the field! It’s going to take the highest successful chase in World Cup history. It’s going to take a blistering start from Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique, who both have a story to tell both in this format of the game and against Australia in Test cricket. Starc to start with a couple of slips, tonight back in the gold sleeves. A huge couple of hours for both teams. Play!
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Cheers, Rob. Mitch Marsh, what a lovely little run he has been on for Australia… and now a World Cup ton, on his 32nd birthday. I do wonder how they will reconfigure the batting list when Trav Head returns from injury, but that’s a good problem to have. The Australians didn’t stick the landing in the final ten overs, losing 6/70, but their 367-9 is imposing nevertheless. Pakistan are going to have to start well, which is never easy against Starc and Hazlewood. But the mighty Chinnaswamy is always plenty of fun to bat on, so don’t rule out the chasers.
Hang out with me in the usual ways: send me a note or fire me off an angry tweet.
A score of 367 should be enough for Australia, though you never know what impact the dew will have. Time for me to tag in Adam Collins, who is here for the Pakistan runchase. Ta-ra.
Mitchell Marsh’s verdict
It’s a very nice birthday present. I feel like I’ve played a lot of cricket on my birthday and never got over 10, so it’s nice to do that today. The partnership with Davey was awesome fun. We know this is a high-scoring ground so it was nice to cash in. We’d probably have liked a few more at the back end but Pakistan bowled really well.
I tend not to celebrate my hundreds too hard but there was a bit of emotion today! To score a World Cup hundred is something I’m really proud of. Hopefully we can take some early wickets and get another win on the board.
Pakistan need 368 to win
50th over: Australia 367-9 (Cummins 6, Zampa 1) Afridi spears the hat-trick ball down the leg side for a wide. But he restricts Australia to three runs from the last four balls, including an outrageous slower ball that totally flummoxed Cummins and bounces between the back pad and the leg stump. Afridi finishes with exceptional figures of 10-1-54-5.
So, Pakistan need a record total to win, though it could have been worse. At one stage Australia were on course for 400, but they scored only 70 off the last 10 overs. It was a death-bowling masterclass from Afridi and Haris Rauf, particularly after the dismissal of David Warner.
Australia scored just 42 from 46 balls after Warner was out for a spectacular 163. He added 259 for the first wicket with Mitchell Marsh, who pumped a career-best 121 on his birthday. Nobody else could get going, though: the other nine batters scored 58 from 72 between them.
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WICKET! Australia 363-9 (Hazlewood c Rizwan b Afridi 0)
Afridi has a five-for, and he’s on a hat-trick for the second time in the innings! Hazlewood nicks off for a golden duck and there are four balls remaining.
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WICKET! Australia 363-8 (Starc c Saud b Afridi 2)
Starc holes out to long off to give Afridi his fourth wicket. Five balls remaining.
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49th over: Australia 363-7 (Cummins 4, Starc 1) This has been an admirable comeback from Haris Rauf. At one stage he had grisly figures of 4.1-0-65-0, but he finishes with 8-0-83-3 – and he finishes one short of Hasan Ali’s record for the most expensive spell by a Pakistan bowler at a World Cup. He’s turned humiliation into a minor triumph.
WICKET! Australia 360-7 (Labuschagne c sub b Rauf 8)
Australia are finishing with a whimper. Labuschagne slams a pull to cow corner, where the substitute Shadab Khan takes a comfortable catch.
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48th over: Australia 358-6 (Labuschagne 8, Cummins 2) Outstandng bowling from Shaheen Afridi. Labuschagne and Pat Cummins can barely lay a bat on him, collecting just two runs and two leg-byes from the last five balls of the over. Afridi’s figures are outstanding: 9-1-50-3. They’d be even better had Warner been taken on 10.
WICKET! Australia 354-6 (Stoinis LBW b Afridi 21)
Marcus Stoinis has gone. He walked across to Afridi, missed a scoop and was hit plumb in front. He reviewed, purely because Australia have two left and you never know when technology might go rogue, but replays showed it was hitting the top of the middle.
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47th over: Australia 353-5 (Stoinis 21, Labuschagne 8) Labuschagne, expecting a short ball from Rauf, makes room to flat-bat the ball over mid-off for four. That’s an outlier in a fine over from Rauf, who beats Labuschagne for pace and Stoinis (twice) for lack of it.
Rauf is going to make unwelcome history with the most expensive spell by a Pakistani bowler at a World Cup, but this spell (3-0-20-2) has been a pretty impressive display of skill and mental strength.
“Phil Whittal most definitely should not get help for his love-hate relationship with David Warner,” writes David Govantes Edwards. “That’s the perfectly sane attitude towards Warner. Personally, when I feel that I can barely process his talent, he gets out for 2 (which is fine), but then he walks back with that Mourinho-style smirk, and the pendulum goes violently the other way and I want to be Stuart Broad in summer 2019 so much that I would give one kidney for it.”
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46th over: Australia 347-5 (Stoinis 20, Labuschagne 3) Afridi returns to the attack and is steered cleverly over short third man for four by Stoinis. That was a lovely shot. He just opened the face and allowed the ball to hit the bat, knowing the angle would take it over the fielder.
This is now the highest score against Pakistan at a World Cup, passing the 344/9 that Sri Lanka made last week.
45th over: Australia 340-5 (Stoinis 15, Labuschagne 1) Pakistan have pulled this back quite well, though Australia are still in control. It takes a fair bit of courage to return at the death when you already have figures of 4-0-59-0. Rauf has taken two for four in his last 11 balls, and he almost gets a third when Labuschagne squeezes a yorker past leg stump.
WICKET! Australia 339-5 (Inglis c Rizwan b Rauf 13)
Yep, Inglis is out. He jumped across to try to ramp Rauf, with the ball bouncing through to Rizwan. UltraEdge showed that it brushed the glove, so Inglis goes for a breezy nine-ball 13.
It’s always worth looking at the batter when the opposition are considering a review. Some can’t help but look shifty. Joe Root against Sri Lanka in 2019 is another example – you could tell he was out before we’d seen a replay.
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Pakistan review for caught behind against Inglis. From Inglis’s body language alone, I reckon this might be out.
44th over: Australia 338-4 (Stoinis 14, Inglis 13) Inglis has started impressively, speeding to 13 from 8 balls. He drives an attempted yorker from Hasan Ali for four, then clips through midwicket for another.
43rd over: Australia 330-4 (Stoinis 14, Inglis 5) Josh Inglis, who has demoted and promoted at the same time, cuts his first ball for four. Stoinis is denied another boundary when a baseball shot hits the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Haris Rauf has figures of 5-0-70-1, and his economy rate of 14 is the highest in ODI history when somebody has bowled at least five overs.
WICKET! Australia 325-4 (Warner c sub b Haris 163)
David Warner’s marvellous innings comes to an end. He drove Haris Rauf’s first delivery for six, then tried to repeat the stroke to a slower ball and holed out to the substitute Shadab at long on. Babar and Shaheen make a point of congratulating Warner, who acknowledges a standing ovation when he reaches the boundary. It was a remarkable innings: 163 off 124 balls with 14 fours and nine sixes. And 153 of those were scored after Usama Mir put down a simple chance at mid-on.
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42nd over: Australia 319-3 (Warner 157, Stoinis 14) This is a good little spell from Hasan Ali: two overs for 13 with no boundaries. Australia are preparing for one last assault.
41st over: Australia 312-3 (Warner 153, Stoinis 11) That’ll do. Warner slog-sweeps Usama for six to reach a mighty 150 from 116 balls. It’s his third 150+ score in World Cups; nobody else has scored more than one.
After eight balls of pitch-adjustment, Stoinis smears Usama down the ground for six. That’s the 18th of the innings, seven short of the World Cup record. It could be on.
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40th over: Australia 297-3 (Warner 145, Stoinis 4) This looks a slightly awkward pitch on which to start against the older ball. Stoinis is taking a bit of time to get his eye in, a sensible approach in the circumstances, and Hasan Ali gets away with a boundaryless over.
“So, are Australia good again?” shivers Guy Hornsby. “Or is this just a day when this all comes off, Rob? The clincher will surely be if/when a wicket or two falls and if they end up with both Marnus and Smith in. I guess it’s much better to end a tournament strong than start well, as long as you’re not out by the good part. I’m buzzing about Saturday, when England could be knocked out of two separate World Cups on the same day by South African. I wonder what Statsguru thinks about that?”
Now now, I’m all for unhealthy pessimism but England won’t be knocked out of the ODI World Cup if they lose tomorrow. Sure, they’d need to win seven games in a row, including probably two against India, but we’ll cross that bridge if we come to it!
39th over: Australia 291-3 (Warner 144, Stoinis 2) Too full from Usama, which allows Warner to drive to the right of mid-off for four. He has peppered that area today.
“Selfless Incompetence is the title of the album I’ll never get around to making (despite many, many lockdown purchases of recording equipment),” weeps Matt Dony. “It’s also often been the modus operandi for Welsh sport over the years. Entertainingly rubbish. Nowhere more so than the time Glamorgan Cricket Club simply didn’t reply to the England and Wales Cricket Board when they were writing their charter, leading to the representative team being known as ‘England’. Such is life. Now, which Pakistan will we see in the chase? Any chance we’ll get an exciting game?”
With Pakistan, there’s always a chance. Of anything. But I reckon Australia are around 50 runs above par at this stage. Pakistan will need a lot of dew to win this game.
WICKET! Australia 284-3 (Smith ct and b Usama 7)
Smith drives back towards Usama, who swoops to his left to take a sharp catch. It’s his first World Cup wicket, but he celebrated so sheepishly that it took a split-second for everyone to realise it had carried.
That’s Usama’s second excellent low catch, which makes the Warner drop even harder to fathom. First-night nerves I guess.
38th over: Australia 284-2 (Warner 139, Smith 7) Warner has made Australia’s two highest scores at a World Cup, 178 v Afghanistan in 2015 and 166 v Bangladesh four years ago. With 12 overs still remaining, he could smash his own record.
He drives Shaheen over mid-off for two, with the ball plugging just short of the boundary, then lashes a pull for four. Shaheen tries a wide slower ball, but Warner stretches to clump the ball between cover and mid-off for another boundary.
Warner has now scored 129 since being dropped early in the innings. Every run is quite literally a dagger to Usama Mir’s unmentionables.
37th over: Australia 274-2 (Warner 129, Smith 7) A good over from Usama, just four runs and a wide. Around 85 per cent of his bowling today has been excellent; alas, the 15 per cent is the reason he has figures of 7-0-60-0.
“I find myself hugely conflicted by David Warner,” writes Phil Withall. “He has the ability to, simultaneously make me angry and leave me in awe. I don’t think any sportsman has managed to achieve this since Rob Newman played for Norwich. Is this just a me problem? Should I seek help?”
Weirdly, I wrote something on this precise subject in 2014. No idea how it has aged, but I’m going to link and be damned. Since 2014 I’ve grown to love the old chirper.
36th over: Australia 269-2 (Warner 128, Smith 4) Shaheen’s hat-trick ball is driven for a single by Warner. He then appeals for a catch down the leg side when Smith chases a wide, but the umpire isn’t interested. Despite some dodgy appealing, Shaheen has been a cut above the other fast bowlers. In the context of this runfest, figures of 6-1-31-2 are positively Ambrosian.
35th over: Australia 264-2 (Warner 126, Smith 3) A legbreak from Usama kicks nastily at Warner, who fences it for a single. Then Smith is dropped, a low chance to Babar at slip after he edged a drive. That should have been taken.
“Best wishes from Bengaluru,” says Raja Gopalakrishnan. “I’m sitting in front of my TV watching the much-anticipated match between the two teams. I think the Aussies are sure to win this game from the way it’s going at the moment. It’s disappointing to see Pak playing somewhat half-heartedly, their body language saying it all, not sure what their story is.
However, nothing to be taken away from how Warner and Marsh played. I guess Australia are going to post some 400+ but is that too late for a place in the semis? What’s your thought?”
I’m hardly going out on a limb by saying my instinct is that the last four will be India, New Zealand, Australia and the winner of tomorrow’s game between England and South Africa. But there are a lot of big games to come and India are the only certs.
34th over: Australia 259-2 (Warner 124, Smith 0) That was the last ball of the over.
WICKET! Australia 259-2 (Maxwell c Babar b Afridi 0)
Two wickets in two balls. Glenn Maxwell, promoted to No3, smears his first ball into orbit and Babar Azam, back on the field, takes a comfortable catch at mid-off. That was poor from Maxwell, who had time to play himself in.
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WICKET! Australia 259-1 (Marsh c Usama b Afridi 121)
This is getting silly. The first ball of Shaheen Afridi’s second spell is pumped over long-off by Marsh. That’s the fifteenth six of the innings, a new World Cup record for Australia. He didn’t even middle it.
But he did middle the sixteenth, picked up over backward square leg when Afridi droped short. Shaheen moved around the wicket as a result, and the tactic worked immediately. Marsh flicked to short fine leg, where Usama Mir – who dropped that goober earlier - took an excellent low catch. Marsh smiles as he walks off, having made a career-best 121 from 108 balls with 10 fours and nine sixes.
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33rd over: Australia 245-0 (Warner 123, Marsh 109) Dear me. Usama’s first ball after the drinks break is a long hop that Warner muscles into the crowd at deep midwicket. That makes this the second highest opening partnership at a World Cup, and at this rate it won’t take long for them to reach 283 and set a new record.
This is an orgy of boundaries. Warner pings consecutive drives between extra cover and mid on for four, prompting the stand-in captain Rizwan (not sure why Babar has left the field) to wave his arms around and have a moan. Usama’s over, split by the drinks break, went for 19.
“If Australia do win today, then it’s imperative for England to win tomorrow,” says Digvijay Yadav. “More than anything just to make the back end of the tournament interesting.”
I suppose it makes a change from 2011 and 2019, when England’s unexpected defeats breathed life into the group stage. I like to think of it as selfless incompetence.
32.2 over: Australia 231-0 (Warner 109, Marsh 109) Another dropped catch. Warner heaves Usama towards deep midwicket, where the swooping Abdullah Shafique muffs an awkward chance. He’s hurt his finger and is leaving the field. As he does so, the umpires decide to take drinks in the middle of the over.
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32nd over: Australia 226-0 (Warner 105, Marsh 108) Haris Rauf returns to the attack with a relatively thrifty over. It still went for 12, but that’s an improvement on his first three. Marsh hammered an acceptable delivery over midwicket for six, then Warner timed a gorgeous extra-cover drive for four. Rauf’s figures are 4-0-59-0.
“I do hope ‘Straya continue to race towards a stupendous total today as I’m still smarting from the don’t-mention-the-war shock exit of the Wallabies from the rugby,” writes Sarahjane in London. “We haven’t been booted out at the group stage since 1992, so I need a win today! As does my beloved home country.”
TWO CENTURIES IN TWO BALLS!
31st over: Australia 214-0 (Warner 100, Marsh 101) Warner wins the race, pushing Nawaz for a single to reach a coruscating hundred: 85 balls, 7x4, 6x6. He was dropped on 10 by Usama Mir but since then he’s been almost flawless.
Then, in a really lovely moment, Mitchell Marsh cuts the next ball for four to reach his century from exactly 100 balls. It’s his first in a World Cup, his first in any ODI since 2016 – and it comes on his 32nd birthday. He looks absolutely delighted, roaring with delight as he punches the air.
Warner’s hundred, incidentally, was his fifth at a World Cup – only Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar – and his fourth in a row against Pakistan.
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30th over: Australia 208-0 (Warner 99, Marsh 96) Marsh thumps Hasan Ali back over his head for six. I know Babar had to bring the quicks back at some stage, but to do so when Marsh was stuck against the spinners makes no sense.
Warner and Marsh are in a three-figure race. Warner cuts the penultimate ball for a single to move to 99 – but Marsh keeps the strike with a cut to deep point.
“Thank you for keeping us posted in lands (Spain, in my case) where the CWC might as well not be happening at all, for all the attention that is paid to it,” writes David J Govantes Edwards. “In the 6th over, Em Jackson has used a term that I am unfamiliar with: ‘cricket neutrality’.
“I don’t wish to open a can of worms, but is cricket neutrality the equivalent to the political statement ‘I am neither right nor left’, meaning that the person in question, really, leans right but has some moral qualms about saying it aloud? (Australia being the ‘political right’ in this equivalent).
“Disclaimer: I do not for a second presume that Em Jackson is either a hidden Australian supporter nor that they are right-wing!!! I am just befuddled by (and envious of) their skill to remain neutral in cricket, and I’d like to know if I am alone in this.”
Come on now, nobody deserves that comparison.
29th over: Australia 199-0 (Warner 98, Marsh 87) Rohit Warner slams Nawaz for four, then takes a single to move to 98. This is now the third highest opening partnership at a World Cup for any country, and the highest that doesn’t involve Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
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28th over: Australia 192-0 (Warner 93, Marsh 86) What an odd piece of captaincy from Babar Azam. With Marsh really struggling against the spinners, he brings on a quick bowler in Hasan Ali.
His first ball is short and Marsh inevitably slugs it into the crowd at midwicket. That’s Marsh’s first boundary in seven overs, and a gift from not one but two opponents.
27th over: Australia 185-0 (Warner 93, Marsh 79) On commentary, Aaron Finch says he would keep Steve Smith at No3 but promote some of the hitters above Marnus Labuschagne.
Marsh may be struggling but Warner’s tempo hasn’t changed at all. He skips down to clip Nawaz through midwicket for four, and a single takes him to 93 from 77 balls. If you’ve only just joined us, Usama Mir dropped a dolly when Warner was on 10.
This is now Australia’s highest opening partnership at a World Cup.
“I’m seeing Ewan’s ‘quirky wrong-footed bowling action’ Lance Cairns,” says Jeremy Boyce, “and raising him a Max Walker, who did all that with a decent mullet and walrus moustache to boot.”
Ah, but his Test average was in the twenties so he’s ineligible. The stats come first, always.
26th over: Australia 176-0 (Warner 86, Marsh 77) Iftikhar turns one very sharply to hit Marsh on the pad. It was missing leg and Australia get two leg-byes after a ricochet off the stumps.
Marsh is really struggling to rotate the strike. Twenty-one of his last 30 deliveries have been dot balls.
25th over: Australia 172-0 (Warner 85, Marsh 76) Nawaz bowls five consecutive dot balls to Marsh, who has lost his mojo in the past half an hour or so. He was 60 not out from 44 balls at one stage; since then he’s scored 16 from 33, and that includes a six.
24th over: Australia 171-0 (Warner 84, Marsh 76) Iftikhar continueus his accurate spell with an over that costs just two. There should have been a run-out chance against Warner too, but Babar misfielded at point.
This is a nice spot from my colleague Tim de Lisle. Australia, who were bottom of the run-rate table before this game, have roared up to seventh.
23rd over: Australia 169-0 (Warner 83, Marsh 75) This pitch looks a lot better for defensive spinners than attacking seamers. But as Rameez Raja says on TV, the margin for error is non-existent. Nawaz ruins an otherwise decent over with a long hop that is cudgelled over midwicket by Warner. That’s the tenth six of the innings.
22nd over: Australia 162-0 (Warner 77, Marsh 74) These two complement each other beautifully: they’re left- and right-handed, short and tall, and they hit the ball in different areas. Three from Iftikhar’s over; he’s bowled well in this second spell, concedingly only 12 from four overs.
“Two more words,” says Ewan Glenton. “Lance Cairns. Batting average in Tests and ODIs, 16; but if you look down the top 50 highest career ODI strike rates, they’re all from the last few years, some from the 2010s, or the noughties (not many), hardly any who played in the 1990s, but there’s this total freak/outlier from 40/50 years ago with a whopping SR of 105. That guy just came in and tonked a massive six or two, clubbed a couple of fours then walked off again.
“I was privileged to be at Dunedin’s Carisbrook (1980) when NZ beat the great West Indies, and Cairns typically brought the house down with 30 off 18 balls including a trio of maximums off Derrick Parry. Throw in his quirky wrong-footed bowling action too (130 Test wickets, average 33, and… Stardust. Has to be in there, surely.”
Yep, that’s a compelling argument. I love pioneers who are only appreciated with hindsight. I hereby anoint Lance Cairns as the Nick Drake of cricket.
21st over: Australia 159-0 (Warner 75, Marsh 72) A shocking boundary drought – 26 balls – is ended by Marsh, who lumps Nawaz down the ground for six. He has 72 from 61 balls, Warner 75 from 65.
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20th over: Australia 149-0 (Warner 74, Marsh 64) You’d expect the wristspinner to turn the ball but Iftikhar is getting a bit of grip as well. Perhaps this is a bit of a new-ball pitch, because all of a sudden Australia are struggling to get the ball away: we’ve had six runs in the last three overs.
Now this email is more like it.
“Good morning Rob,” says John Swan. “I have a feeling this might tickle your wossnames – how about an unregarded* XI of Kent players? As in, say: Bob Woolmer, Mark Benson, Alan Ealham, Ed Smith, Chris Cowdrey, Mark Ealham, Paul Downton, Martin ‘but of course’ McCague, Min Patel, Dean Headley, Alan Igglesden.
* Sometimes admittedly for good reason, so technically this doesn’t quite fit your original brief.”
I might put Duncan Spencer in there, just because I was briefly obsessed with him. Mark Benson was so harshly treated: 21 and 30 on his Test debut and he was never picked again. I’d also have Matthew Fleming, who should have been in England’s 1999 World Cup squad, probably the team.
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19th over: Australia 148-0 (Warner 73, Marsh 64) The left-arm spinner Muhammad Nawaz replaces Usama Mir and rushes through a tidy over that goes for four singles. Australia are, in boxing parlance, taking a round off to recharge their batteries.
“On the theme of an XI based on lying statistics, whilst stuck in a flight delay at the airport once, I put together an England XI of those who averaged under 30 with the bat, and over 40 with the ball,” says Tom Cooper. “I ended up with the following: Lees, Carberry, Malan, Vince (c), Ramprakash, James Taylor, Russell (wk), Giles, Silverwood, Lewis, Fisher. If all eleven had ‘their day’ on the same day, I reckon that lot would be well capable of winning an Ashes dead rubber at The Oval.”
You send me an XI like this and you leave out Martin McCague? Where do you get the effrontery?
(Presumably that’s Jon Lewis, or did Clairmonte Christopher have an even worse record than I thought?)
18th over: Australia 144-0 (Warner 71, Marsh 62) Blimey, a quiet over: Iftikhar to Warner, with six dot balls and a wide. Before that, Australia had scored exactly 100 off the last nine overs.
17th over: Australia 143-0 (Warner 71, Marsh 62) Warner skips down the track to chip Usama over midwicket for six. Usama has bowled quite well, yet he still has figures of 4-0-31-0.
“Glad to see the Aussies getting back in the swing,” says Jeremy Boyce. “Is it that they really are quite good, or is it that this Pakistan team is a bit sub-standard compared to previous iterations?”
A bit of both, and it’s a very flat pitch. Pakistan really miss the injured Naseem Shah, plus Shadab Khan (dropped today) and Shaheen haven’t been at their best.
16th over: Australia 134-0 (Warner 64, Marsh 61) The longer this partnership goes on, the more Australia will be tempted to tinker with the batting order. I’d expect Smith to come in at No3, unless this pair bat for 30+ overs, but Labuschagne might drop down.
The offspinner Iftikhar replaces Haris Rauf, and Marsh waves a regal back-foot drive for four. We’ve already had 96 runs in boundaries: 14 fours and seven sixes
“The race for the century is on,” says Krishnamoorthy V, “between Warner, Marsh and Rauf.”
Arf. Rashid Khan’s unwanted record for the worst World Cup figures (9-0-110-0) is up for grabs today. The worst for Pakistan, since you asked, are Hasan Ali’s 9-0-84-1 against India four years ago.
Good toss to loose , I like it when we bat first , Pakistan not on today 👏👏👍🇦🇺to win I feel .
— Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) October 20, 2023
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15th over: Australia 128-0 (Warner 63, Marsh 56) Marsh drives Usama for a single to reach a dominant half-century from 40 balls, with eight fours and two imperious sixes. It’s been a pleasure to watch him bat with such style and authority in the last few months. Talking of which, Usama tosses one up and Marsh launches the ball back over his head for a massive six. That hit the top of the grandstand as well.
Never mind 350; Australia are on for 400 here. They could even regain their record for the highest World Cup score from South Africa, who pummelled 428 for five against Sri Lanka last week.
14th over: Australia 119-0 (Warner 61, Marsh 49) Warner has made centuries in his last three ODIs against Pakistan, going back to 2017. He looks pretty good for another and has just scooped Rauf for another six.
Rauf’s response is an angry bouncer – too angry, because it bounces over Warner’s head and is called wide. His internal monologue must be a riot, especially as Marsh has just pulled him flat and hard for six more. Rauf’s figures would look bad on Stick Cricket: 3-0-47-0.
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13th over: Australia 103-0 (Warner 54, Marsh 42) Usama is getting some dangerous turn back into Warner. But as has been the case throughout this innings, a good ball is followed by a really bad one – a full toss that Warner whaps thumps to cow corner for four. That brings up the hundred partnership and Warner’s fifty, a decisive 39-ball effort. He has punished the bad ball ruthlessly.
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12th over: Australia 96-0 (Warner 48, Marsh 41) Australia are targeting Haris Rauf. His first delivery, having changed ends, is a stinker that Marsh cuts for yet another boundary. Australia have scored 75 per cent of their runs in boundaries.
The rest of Rauf’s over is much better, with a tighter line, a harder length and – shock, horror – no more boundaries.
“Good team that,” says Pete Salmon, “but two words – David Hookes.”
He’d do a job for sure. Krishnamoorthy V has pointed out that Wisden put together a similar XI. Javagal Srinath is a good shout; I thought he was an outstanding bowler.
11th over: Australia 88-0 (Warner 45, Marsh 36) The legspinner Usama Mir replaces Haris Rauf. He’s a good, attacking bowler, though that dropped catch may have unnerved him. Pakistan really need a wicket, so Babar puts in a slip for Marsh. Usama starts well, getting some turn and bounce – but then he drops short and is cut to third man for four by Warner. Well though Australia have batted, this has been a really scruffy performance from Pakistan.
“Unlike your and Kim’s beasts, our two Labrador/Retriever failed guide dogs generally love the rain, streams, ponds, mud (and worse) and food, although probably in reverse order,” says Brian Withington. “The thing that discomforts the younger one is impassioned household shouting, and so he has learnt to take himself off to the back door whenever any sporting event of potential significance comes on the TV, especially anything involving West Ham and its manager. The ICC World Cup has failed to stir him yet, although Mir’s drop of Warner had him looking nervously in my direction…”
10th over: Australia 82-0 (Warner 40, Marsh 35) Australia have finished the Powerplay with a runglut: 24 from Haris Rauf’s first over and now 15 from Iftikhar’s second. Warner walloped a long hop over midwicket for six before Marsh cut and slashed successive fours.
Warner was on 10 when he was dropped, embarrassingly, by Usama Mir. Since then he has pumped 29 from 15 balls.
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9th over: Australia 67-0 (Warner 33, Marsh 27) Haris Rauf, Pakistan’s quickest bowler by a distance, comnes on for Afridi – and his first over disappears for 24!
The first ball was a complete mess: short, very wide and clattered over backward point for four by Warner, who then scooped him for a huge six! It was a reasonable delivery, full and straight. Warner moved inside the line, got down on one knee and lifted the ball for a 98-metre six. The ball hit the top of the grandstand and bounced back onto the field.
Marsh timed a majestic straight drive for four more, then slashed successive back cuts to the fence. Australia are using Haris’s pace against him.
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8th over: Australia 43-0 (Warner 22, Marsh 15) The occasional offspinner Iftikhar Ahmed comes into the attack, an interesting move with three overs of the Powerplay remaining. His second ball is a wide, the sixth of the innings already, and his third legitimate delivery is cut for four by Warner. This is a terrific start for Australia.
7th over: Australia 37-0 (Warner 17, Marsh 15) Shaheen pulled his length back from the start of the second over, realising there was no swing, and for the most part he has nailed it. That means plenty of dot balls – including six in a row to Marsh in this over - but less of a wicket-taking threat.
He’s bowling well though and has figures of 4-1-14-0. They really should be 4-1-13-1.
“Imran Khan makes the team as a batter (average 37.69),” says Simon McMahon, “but you can throw him the ball if you need a wicket? It’s not cheating, exactly.”
Yes, why not have Sobers, Botham, Kapil and Hadlee. And have you seen Don Bradman’s bowling average?
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6th over: Australia 37-0 (Warner 17, Marsh 15) Warner drives Hasan towards extra cover, where the diving Shakeel (I think) saves four with an excellent stop. Hasan gives Australia half of those runs by immediately bowling back-to-back wides.
Hasan has an LBW appeal turned down when Warner misses another pick-up shot. That looked pretty close, though there’s no way Pakistan can risk a review after spaffing one off the first ball of the innings. I don’t think it was out anyway.
Warner cuts for four when Hasan drops short later in the over. Even by Pakistan’s standards, this has been a mercurial start.
“Morning (UK time) Rob, morning (or afternoon/evening) everyone,” writes Em Jackson. “A light-hearted one, this, given I’m a neutral today. Switched on the TMS commentary having checked the fixtures to see what time the start of play was and noted, as an aside, the Women’s Big Bash League has just started (Brisbane won)... so by that measure, Christmas isn’t very far away! Coming soon... the darts LOL.”
Oi, oi, oi, who’s LOLing at the darts?
5th over: Australia 27-0 (Warner 11, Marsh 14) Oh, Pakistan. Usama Mir, brought into the side today, has just dropped an absolute sitter. Warner fetched a short ball from outside off stump and top-edged it miles in the air. Usama steadied himself at mid-on… and the ball went straight through his hands and into his chest. That’s a shocker on a couple of levels: they’ve given Warner a life, and Usama will have that drop on his mind when he comes on to bowl.
Shaheen, his concentration briefly disturbed by the aforementioned fiasco, feeds Marsh’s cut shot next ball and is put away for four.
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4th over: Australia 22-0 (Warner 10, Marsh 10) Hasan strays onto the pads of Warner, who flicks him round the corner for a flat six. Thus far Australia have only attacked the really poor deliveries, which is a smart approach against Pakistan on this pitch. If they are 50 for none after 10, they’ll be looking at a huge total.
Hasan ends the over as he started it, with a piece of rubbish: short, wide and slapped to the point boundary by Marsh.
3rd over: Australia 11-0 (Warner 3, Marsh 6) There’s not much swing for Afridi, which is good news for Australia and particularly the right-handed Marsh. A series of good-length deliveries are defended by Marsh. Australia aren’t in a hurry – they know how important it is not to lose early wickets, and that they can make up for lost balls later in the innings.
2nd over: Australia 9-0 (Warner 2, Marsh 6) Hasan Ali shares the new ball. He’s no Naseem Shah but he’s done a pretty good so far; Pakistan’s problem has been the form of their senior bowlers.
Marsh throws the ceramic rectangle at an outswinger and is beaten. On a pitch like this, it feels even more important to take early wickets while the ball is swinging. Just two runs from the over.
1st over: Australia 7-0 (Warner 1, Marsh 6) Warner tries to leave Shaheen and inadvertently knocks the ball to third man for a single.
Shaheen is not exactly a beacon of equanimity right now. He celebrates a catch down the leg side, punching the air in triumph, yet nobody else even appealed. Marsh drives the next ball imperiously over mid-off for six. Now that’s how to get off the mark in a big World Cup match.
“Re your XI of players who transcend statistics, what’s the criterion for the wicket keeper, then?” says Ewan Glenton. “Knott took 250 catches in 95 Tests. That’s about 100 less than Rod Marsh (343 in 96 Tests). So is Knott in there because he didn’t take enough catches, or just because of his batting average? Btw Knott was a more prolific stumper (19 to Marsh’s 12).”
I went on batting average, as that’s how keepers are generally judged. But maybe I should have lowered the bar to 20 for that position.
Warner is not out! Yep, a huge inside edge. That’s a shocker from Pakistan. Babar reviewed reluctantly, with a second to go, but Afridi was convinced it was out.
Warner was on the walk when he was hit on the pad, and there might have been two noises as well.
Pakistan review for LBW against Warner first ball! I think it’s a poor review, in truth, but we’ll soon find out.
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Shaheen Shah Afridi has the ball, David Warner is taking guard. Let’s get it on.
The players line up for the anthems. The weather in Bengaluru is beautiful; it’s a fine day for a runfest.
“Morning Rob,” writes Kim Thonger. “Our two dachshunds, having refused to go outside the house today, into the pouring rain, have settled down in front of the TV but appear to be interested only in the sunshine, not the cricket.”
Heh. One of our dogs hovers by the back door, derriere in the air, when it’s raining, then looks up at me as if she’s asking me to make it stop.
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s new-ball spell is always worth watching. But he hasn’t been at his best lately – Osman Samiuddin wrote a cracking piece on Cricinfo – and you’d imagine Australia will try to put him under pressure straight away. The consensus among the pundits is that 300 is an absolute minimum.
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“Good morning Rob,” says Krishnamoorthy V. I hope you had time after Kohli’s century to work on the elegant XI. Here is mine: David Boon, Mark Waugh, Vinod Kambli, Marlon Samuels, Vijay Manjrekar, Rusi Modi, Jack Russell, Chris Old, Andy Bichel, Iqbal Qasim, Erapalli Prasanna.”
Ah, I think we got our wires crossed. I did an XI of players who transcend statistics, whether through style, impact or both. Batters had to average below 40 to be available for selection; bowlers had to average above 30.
Here’s the team: Victor Trumper, Kris Srikkanth, Kim Hughes, Carl Hooper, Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes (c), Learie Constantine, Alan Knott (wk), Brett Lee, Abdul Qadir, Patrick Patterson.
Team news
Australia are unchanged. Pakistan bring in the legspinner Usama Mir for the out-of-form Shadab Khan.
Australia Warner, Marsh, Smith, Labuschagne, Inglis (wk), Maxwell, Stoinis, Starc, Cummins (c), Zampa, Hazlewood.
Pakistan Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir.
Pakistan win the toss and bowl
The pitch looks a belter, very hard, and there should be a bit of dew later on. Pat Cummins said he would have bowled first, though he doesn’t seem too perturbed.
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A bit of pre-match reading
Australia have a mixed World Cup record against Pakistan: six wins, four defeats. There was a very costly collapse at Perth in 1992 but the most significant meeting was one of cricket’s great anticlimaxes: the 1999 final.
Preamble
Hello. For a team in the bottom half of the table, Australia are in surprisingly good shape. This week’s shock results have undermined England and South Africa, two probable opponents for a semi-final place, and victory over Pakistan today would seriously damage another.
On the hypeometer, this game is somewhere big and huge. In a couple of weeks time, we may reflect that it was decisive in, well, deciding who made the last four. So far the teams have had pretty similar tournaments. Both have lost to India, both have beaten Sri Lanka, both have lamented the absence of key players.
Both also know that World Cups are usually about peaking at the right time. In 1992, Pakistan had to win their last five games to become world champions. Seven years later, Australia saw that and raised it to seven. (Yes, yes, I know technically they didn’t win one of them, but tell that to Allan Donald.)
While Australia and Pakistan aren’t quaffing in the last-chance saloon yet, they’re certainly in the neighbourhood. Yep, this is a biggie. Who knows, we might even get the first thriller of the tournament.
Play starts in Bengaluru at 2pm IST/7:30pm AEDT/9:30am BST
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