Australia finalised its World Cup preparation with a 14-run victory over Pakistan in Hyderabad as Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green benefited from some valuable time in the middle ahead of the marquee tournament.
Maxwell (77 from 71 balls) and Green (50 not out from 40 balls) cracked half-centuries as Australia posted 7-351 from its 50 overs at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, with reserve wicketkeeper Josh Inglis providing some late fireworks.
Following an early collapse in the run chase, Iftikhar Ahmed (83 of 95 balls) and world No. 1 ranked batter Babar Azam (90 from 59 balls retired) combined for a 144-run fifth-wicket stand to put Pakistan within touching distance of the target.
Despite experimenting with its bowlers, Australia bowled out the Pakistanis for 337 in the 48th over, with part-time leg-spinner Marnus Labuschagne taking three wickets.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs Pakistan World Cup warm-up scorecard
Azam’s damaging blitz served as a warning shot ahead of the World Cup, but Australia appears to be building nicely towards its tournament opener against hosts India on Sunday. However, Australia’s susceptibility to spin and Alex Carey’s patchy form remain glaring concerns ahead of the quadrennial tournament.
“I‘ve probably been starved of it over the last little bit, so to get some time out in the middle was really nice,” Maxwell said.
“This World Cup in these conditions is going to be challenging to a lot of people, and for our batters to get a lot of time out there, we‘ve had the series against India as well, so our batters feel really ready for this tournament.”
Meanwhile, all-rounder Marcus Stoinis was once again absent from Australia’s starting XI, suggesting Green has leapfrogged him in the pecking order.
Watch every match of The ICC Men‘s Cricket World Cup Live on Kayo Sports. Starts THU 6 OCT 7:30PM AEDT. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly >
Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first, with openers David Warner and Mitchell Marsh surviving the Powerplay and combining for an 83-run partnership.
The introduction of spin did the trick for Pakistan, with Warner chipping Usama Mir’s second delivery of the match towards long-on for 48 (33).
Mir stuck again in his following over, toppling Marsh for 31 (48) with a ripping leg break that was edged to Ahmed at first slip.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne put together 59 for the third wicket before spinner Mohammad Nawaz removed the Queenslander for 40 (31), feathering a catch through to wicketkeeper Muhammad Haris. Carey should have departed for a golden duck, with Haris missing a leg-side stumping the very next delivery.
However, Haris somewhat redeemed himself the following over by swallowing Smith’s outside edge, with Pakistani quick Haris Rauf dismissing the Australian superstar for 27 (29).
Carey, who has averaged 18.82 with the bat since the Lord’s Ashes Test, was run out for 11 (14) following a monumental mix-up with Maxwell in the 30th over.
Green was handed an early reprieve on 1 after Nawaz put down a low return chance, and the error proved costly, with the 24-year-old combining with Maxwell for an 83-run partnership for the sixth wicket to revive Australia’s innings.
Maxwell smacked six sixes, including an extraordinary reverse sweep against Nawaz, to reach his half-century in 55 balls. However, the Victorian departed in the 41st over after attempting to replicate the shot against all-rounder Shadab Khan, caught at short third man by Azam.
The Australians plundered 103 runs from the final ten overs, with Inglis executing a flurry of ramps and sweeps throughout his dazzling 48 (30).
Green brought up a half-century, his first in any format since the Indian Premier League, on the final delivery as Pakistan was set an imposing 352-run target for victory.
Pakistan’s openers got the run chase off to a fast start before Cummins produced a peach to knock over Imam ul-Haq in the sixth over for 16 (11), with Carey pouching the catch.
Maxwell, who will serve as Australia’s second spinner in the World Cup, was introduced to the attack in the seventh over, but the gamble paid dividends when opener Fakhar Zaman charged down the wicket and miscued a slog towards Warner at point for 22 (24).
“The ball’s coming out as well as it ever has,” Maxwell told reporters after the match.
“I’ve just got a really nice clarity about how it’s coming out and what I need to do.”
Another reckless shot saw the end of Abdullah Shafique, who fell victim to Sean Abbott for 12 (16) as Warner claimed his second catch.
Pakistan was suddenly in a spot of bother at 4-83 when Labuschagne struck in his first over, with Khan slapping a half-volley directly towards Inglis on the long-off boundary rope for 9 (8).
However, Australia turned to the part-time spin of Smith and Warner in the middle overs, with their expensive spells dragging Pakistan back into the contest.
READ MORE
‘UNSTOPPABLE’: How legend’s shock switch could provide World Cup blueprint
‘NOTHING TO LOSE’: The change Marnus needed to make for World Cup dream
Warner, who has not bowled in ODIs since 2012, leaked 41 runs from two overs, but was denied a rare wicket when Inglis bottled a regulation catch long on, gifting Iftikhar an extra life on 43.
Azam, who clobbered 11 boundaries and two sixes, looked destined to bring up a century, but instead retired in the 36th over.
A rapid half-century for Nawaz pushed Pakistan towards the target, but the all-rounder was aided by Labuschagne’s dropped catch while on 38, which denied Marsh a wicket.
Australia slowly chipped away at the tail, ultimately bowling out Pakistan for 337, a total that presumably would have been substantially lower if Cummins had not wrapped his strike bowlers in cotton wool.
“The end of this game is probably one everyone’s been looking forward to the most and now our World Cup can finally start,” Maxwell said.
The Australians will face hosts India in their World Cup opener at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, with the first ball scheduled for 7.30pm AEDT.
Discussion about this post