Pakistan vs Australia: Australia win by 14 runs in final ICC Cricket World Cup warm-up match

In the final warm-up match before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Australia defeated Pakistan by 14 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat, but they were bowled out for 337 in 47.4 overs. Babar Azam (90) and Mohammad Rizwan (103) put on a 180-run partnership for the first wicket, but the rest of the batting order failed to capitalize. Iftikhar Ahmed (75) was the only other batsman to score a half-century.

For Australia, Mitchell Starc took 3 wickets for 55 runs, while Pat Cummins and Glenn Maxwell took 2 wickets each.

In reply, Australia chased down the target in 48.5 overs. David Warner (85) and Marnus Labuschagne (79) put on a 162-run partnership for the second wicket, which set the platform for the victory. Steven Smith (50) and Glenn Maxwell (46) also made significant contributions.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali took 2 wickets each, but it was not enough to prevent Australia from winning the match.

Analysis

Australia will be pleased with their performance in this match. Their batting lineup looked in good form, with Warner, Labuschagne, Smith, and Maxwell all scoring runs. Their bowling attack also looked sharp, with Starc and Cummins taking wickets.

Pakistan, on the other hand, will be disappointed with their batting performance. They lost too many wickets in the middle overs, and they were unable to accelerate their scoring rate in the latter stages of the innings. Their bowling attack was also inconsistent, and they failed to take wickets at regular intervals.

However, it is important to note that this was just a warm-up match, and both teams will be looking to improve their performances in the actual tournament.

Looking forward

Australia will begin their World Cup campaign against India on October 8, while Pakistan will play their first match against the Netherlands on October 6.