Lopsided wins for Pakistan and Australia at Cricket World Cup
Gulf between the elite and the second tier demonstrated in group matches
Four-time champion Australia and 1992 winner Pakistan demonstrated the gulf between the cricket elite and the second tier with lopsided wins at the World Cup on Wednesday.
Australia, led by opener David Warner’s 178 runs, scored a World Cup-record total of 417 for six after being sent in to bat by Afghanistan at Perth, Australia. The Australians then bowled out Afghanistan for 142 runs in 37.3 overs for a 275-run win – the biggest ever at a World Cup.
Everyone contributed, and we pushed hard. Very happy to see some momentum before our next big game against South Africa
The Australian run total eclipsed the 413-5 posted by India against lowly-ranked Bermuda at the 2007 World Cup. And the margin of victory surpassed the previous World Cup high of 257 – set by India against Bermuda in 2007 and equalled by South Africa against West Indies last week in Sydney.
After incurring big losses to arch-rival India and the West Indies, Pakistan have recovered with victories over Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates to level their win-loss record at 2-2. The 129-run win on Wednesday over UAE came at Napier, New Zealand, where Pakistan scored 339-6 – the first time they have topped 300 runs at the tournament – before restricting the UAE to 210-8.
Opener Ahmed Shehzad top-scored with 93 before being run out seven runs short of Pakistan’s first cup century in eight years, while Shaiman Anwar led the UAE with 62.
“Everyone contributed, and we pushed hard,” said man-of-the-match Shehzad. “Very happy to see some momentum before our next big game against South Africa.”