Bengaluru: In the ongoing 2023 World Cup, Australia clashed with Pakistan in ODI 18 in Bengaluru on a Friday. Pakistan won the toss and elected to field, setting the stage for David Warner and Mitchell Marsh to open the innings for Australia. The Australian team finds itself in the lower half of the tournament standings, having suffered two defeats and securing one win so far.
Their campaign began with a six-wicket loss to India, followed by a substantial 134-run defeat against South Africa. However, they managed to secure their first victory of the tournament in their third fixture by overcoming Sri Lanka by five wickets. The Australians successfully chased down a target of 210 runs against the Lankans, reaching 215/5 in 35.2 overs, thanks in part to a notable half-century from Josh Inglis, who contributed 58 runs off 59 balls. Meanwhile, Adam Zampa’s four-wicket haul played a pivotal role in bowling out Sri Lanka for 209 runs in 43.3 overs.
On the other hand, Pakistan initiated their World Cup campaign with a commanding 81-run win against the Netherlands, followed by a solid six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka. However, their winning streak came to a halt in their third fixture when they were defeated by the hosts, India, in Ahmedabad. Despite the loss, Pakistan could take some positives from the match, particularly the resurgence of Babar Azam, who scored a crucial half-century against India, amassing 50 runs from 58 balls. Hasan Ali, currently ranking fifth in the list of leading wicket-takers with seven dismissals, remains a key player for Pakistan.
In the latest development, Pakistan won the toss and chose to field against Australia, setting the stage for what promises to be an intriguing encounter in the World Cup.