After David Warner's 124-ball 163 and Mitchell Marsh's 108-ball 121, Australia scored 367 for 9 against Pakistan in Bengaluru. However, at one time Australia was well within reach of a score of 400 or more runs, Shaheen Shah 5 wickets and Rauf's 3 wickets did not allow that to happen. Australia lost 6 wickets to score 70 runs in the last 10 overs, only 27 runs in the last 5 overs. It is still a tough task for Pakistan, who set the record for the highest run chase in the World Cup a few days ago.
However, if Pakistan could have taken the catch, they could have stopped Australia earlier. Which started with Warner being given 'life'. Shaheen Shah was bowling the fifth over, the third ball was short length. Warner, who batted for 10, took the easiest catch of World Cup debutant Usman Mir, who was playing in place of vice-captain Shadab Khan. Such a missed catch after missing a bad review in the first over was an indication that the day was not Pakistan's. Nothing came for Pakistan after that for a long time. Seeing Pakistan on the field in a haphazard line-length, it seemed as if disoriented, Warner and Marsh were punishing them. Australia scored 22 runs in 26 balls before Warner was caught, then scored 60 runs in the next 34 balls in the first power play after that ball.
Australia crossed 100 in the 13th over. Pakistan's fifth bowler also came in during the 19th over, but none could stop Warner-Marsh. However, the spin duo of Ahmed and Mohammad at both ends reined in the run rate a bit, with 32 runs coming between the 18th and 26th overs. After the boundaries started coming again regularly. Australia 200 runs in 30th over.
At that time, apart from the brilliant hitting of Warner and Marsh, the excitement of the match was a debate - who will get the century first. Two got it, 2 balls in a row. Warner completed his 21st career and fifth century in the World Cup with a single off in the 31st over. With this, Warner got four consecutive ODI centuries against Pakistan, which matches came in a gap of 6 years. He became only the second batsman to score four consecutive centuries against the same opponent. Marsh also scored a century on his 32nd birthday by punching a four over the very next ball, it took 100 balls. It was only the fourth time in the World Cup that two openers scored centuries in the same innings, a first for Australia.
The question of who will stop the two, however, was going around. But Pakistan was not getting the answer. Warner got life again in the 33rd over, this time caught by Abdullah Shafiq off Mir. However, Pakistan got the next over in the 34th over. Marsh welcomed Shaheen Shah back in that over by hitting 2 sixes in the first 4 balls. Marsh was then caught by Mir at fine leg, after scoring 121 off 108 balls with 10 fours and 9 sixes. The opening pair of 259 runs broke on Marsh's wicket. That is the second highest in the World Cup, Australia's highest.
Suddenly, Pakistan got the second wicket too, that too right after Marsh's return. "Golden duck" Glenn Maxwell was caught by while picking up the ball. Australia could easily have been 262/3 from 259 for no wickets, but that was not to be when Steven Smith was caught at slip by Mir. However, like Warner, Smith was unable to make much headway, returning with a return catch at the hands of Mir. Of course, there was Warner, joined by Marcus, who looked set to keep Australia on course for 400.
Rauf, who gave 59 runs in the first 4 overs, stopped Warner. In the Josh is also his victim. Australia's hopes of a late storm virtually ended after Shaheen Shah stopped Marcus. Shaheen Shah, who ended the bowling with 5 for 54, stood in front of his second hat-trick of the innings, returning Mitchell and Josh in the last over. Rauf finished with 3 wickets for 83 runs, meaning he took 3 wickets for just 24 runs in the last 4 overs.
Earlier in the World Cup, Australia hit 14 sixes in one innings, today Warner and Marsh hit 18 together. However, after those two, Australia had only one six in the innings. In the innings, the image of two halves of Australia also appears.
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