We have been successfully moved to the ultimate day of the warm-up matches of the ICC Men’s Cricket Worldcup 2023 without getting interrupted at Hyderabad as the other game between IND and NED was a washout.Luckily, No rain today at the Hyderabad in the 1st innings of the practice match and we witness some action in all three power plays.
Earlier in the match, Pat Cummins won the toss and decided to bat first. Skipper Babar Azam was rested and Shaheen was back in the squad.
David Warner and Mitchell March open the innings for Australia providing some platform without giving away any wickets to Pakistani quicks in the 1st power play (1-10). Australia scored 64/0 in 1st power play of the ICC CWC23, India, smashing 8 boundaries in all. Only Hassan Ali proved economical in his 4-overs spell where he only conceded 12 with the economy of 3.
The onset of 2nd powerplay of ICC’s Cricket Worldcup 2023’s warm-up match was more threatening as the Kangroos continued their charge against the pace-attack. Usama provided the breakthrough in his first over. 1st Warner and then he removed Marsh in quick succession. Both openers went back to the dugout when team’s total was 92 in 14.1 overs.
Pakistan side continued leaking runs consistantly in bowling and fielding too. Some drop chances and misfielding at boundary ropes cast them alot. Maxwell missed the spark in the beginnging of his inning but played some brilliant shots once he got set. The pick of the batter for the 2nd power play (11-40) was Maxwell who rebuilt the innings successfully. From Pakistan, it was Usama Mir with 2 quick wickets to set the tone for Pakistan and keeping the Kangroos at length.
To be precise, Australia were 248/5 with the current runrate of 6.20 at the end of the powerplay. They grabbed 184 in the 2nd powerplay with the RR of 6.13 of the innings losing 5 wickets to Pakistani bowlers. Maxwell seemd to be shifting gears after his 50-mark and scored 76 off 68 with a strike rate of 112 including four 4s and six 6s.
Pakistan continued with their spin attack in the ultimate phase of the inning where Shadab broke 83-run stand with the help of substitute Babar. Autralia were 255/6 in the 41 overs and Maxwell had gone for 77 off 71 when he was sent back to the dugout. Australia needed someone to stand and deliver in the last powerplay with 4 wickets in hand and 9 overs to go.
Josh Inglis and Cameron Green led Australia in the final phase of the inning. Inglis scored 48 off only 30 with striking at 160 and fallen prey to Wasim in the 49th over. Cameron Green scored his fifty off 40 striking at 125.
The ultimate powerplay proved fatal for Pakistan as they leaked 103 in the last ten against 2 wickets with the runrate of 10.3. The quickest Rauf proved very lethal for Pakistan as he leaked 97 for his 9 at 10.77 getting only wicket of Steven Smith.
Australia score 351 in their entire inning which meant Pakistan to chase down 352 for winning this warm-up game against Australia as they had already lost their 1st warm-up match against NZ.
Warner, Maxwell, Inglis and Green were top performers from Australia in the 1st innings whilst it was Usama Mir with 2 wickets in 5 overs. Shaheen and Hassan proved economical with their bowling spells where they gave away only 25 and 26 respectively in 6 overs each.
