Australia vs Pakistan, Cricket World Cup 2023: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh Hundreds, Adam Zampa Magic Lead Australia To 62-Run Victory

David Warner and Mitchell Marsh symbolised Australia's insatiability with the bat and Adam Zampa's relentlessness with the ball as the five-time champions registered a revitalising 62-run win over Pakistan in the World Cup match in Bengaluru on Friday. Brutal hundreds by Warner (163 off 124 balls) and Marsh (121 off 108 balls) led Australia to an imposing 367 for 9. Pakistan batters fought valiantly but could only manage 305 as leg-spinner Zampa (4/53) inflicted blows at vital junctions. Australia need to profusely thank both Warner, who hammered his 21st ODI hundred, and Marsh, his second ton, for keeping their World Cup campaign on track with a blistering assault.

The Aussie openers amassed 259 runs in just 203 balls, and it was only the fourth instance in World Cup history that both openers notched centuries in the same match.

Australia needed a dominant show to spruce up their confidence after three middling efforts that fetched two defeats and a win in this tournament, and they did it with a bang.

The only spanner in their easy rollicking was left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, whose five-wicket haul (5/54) was just a sad reminder as to what other Pakistan bowlers could have done with a bit of thinking.

Warner, who was dropped twice on 10 and 105, and Marsh were at their marauding best against a Pakistan attack that lacked direction on a smooth M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch with a quick outfield adding value to their shots.

They were either too full, too short or strayed on to the leg side, and the Aussie batters did not need any second invitation to exploit the flowing freebies.

All this could have been a tad different for Pakistan had Usama Mir, who replaced Shadab Khan, held on to a simple skier from Warner off