ODI World Cup 2023: Warner and Marsh scored centuries as Australia beat Pakistan by 62 runs in a high-scoring fixture

Pakistan got off to a strong start in their chase in match 18 of the 2023 World Cup in Bengaluru on Friday. Openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq put up a 134-run opening stand, scoring half-centuries in the process. Marcus Stoinis dismissed Shafique with his first ball of the match and later went on to get Imam out as well. Babar Azam then fell to Adam Zampa thanks to a stunner of a catch from Pat Cummins after getting off to a brilliant start.

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Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, and Iftikhar Ahmed gave Pakistan some hope, but the target was too high and the pressure was evident. Pakistan ended up being all out for 305. This is their second consecutive defeat and Australia now have two wins after getting off to a disastrous start in the tournament.

Adam Zampa was on fire and ended up scalping another 4-wicket haul. Hazlewood only got 1 wicket but only leaked 37 runs in his 10-over spell.

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Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first as Australia got off to a brilliant start. Opener Warner hammered 163 runs off 124 balls, packed with 14 fours and nine sixes. Meanwhile, his opening partner Marsh clattered 121 off 108 deliveries, including 10 fours and nine sixes. Marsh also scored a half-century in the last game and he needed to build his consistency. He showed that and scored a brilliant century.

It was only the fourth time in World Cup history that both openers scored centuries in the same match. Without Afridi's five-wicket haul, Pakistan were seen nowhere in the game. Rauf was hammered 70 runs in his first five overs by the Australian openers.

Warner survived twice on 10 and 105 but Marsh was well-focused on a smooth Chinnaswamy Stadium. The openers saw Australia post 367/9 in 50 overs in match 18 of the 2023 World Cup in Bengaluru on Friday.

Shaheen Afridi led Pakistan's late fightback in the first innings with a five-wicket haul while Haris Rauf took three wickets. Otherwise, the Aussies would have gone past 400.