Pat Cummins has continued his scintillating form in the World Cup, starring with the ball to help Australia to a nervy win over Pakistan.
Cummins was brilliant with 3/33 off 10 overs, showing why he is Australia’s go-to bowling star as Aaron Finch’s side looked to defend an under-par 307.
But with Australia needing wickets, Cummins had bowled out his overs by the 40th over, making it a nervous finish as Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and Wahab Riaz hit out late with a quick-fire 64-run partnership.
But Mitchell Starc stood tall for the Aussies with two wickets in the 45th over as the side righted the ship to move on equal points with New Zealand on the top of the ladder.
Cummins is the number one Test bowler in the world and is ranked number six in ODIs, and he showed why with another stunning performance.
He took a wicket in his second over to give Australia the perfect start but solid partnerships helped Pakistan threaten.
Cummins big impact came in his second spell however, taking the wicket of opener Imam ul-Haq for 53.
It sparked a collapse of 3/11 in 15 balls as captain Aaron Finch removed Mohammad Hafeez with a full toss which was caught on the boundary, before Cummins grabbed his third, getting Shoaib Malik caught behind.
The reigning Allan Border medallist has taken 26 ODI wickets in 2019, the most of any bowler in the world, at a startling average of 15.84. He’s added nine more during the World Cup at 18.77 with a very healthy economy rate of 4.40.
Australia ran through Pakistan middle order but rapid scoring from Hassan Ali (32 off 15 balls) and Riaz (45 off 39) threatened to snatch an impossible win with the pair scoring three sixes each.
It set up a nervous finish with Pakistan requiring just over a run a ball but Starc’s wickets and Glenn Maxwell run out completed the victory.
It means Australia have three wins and a loss after four games to be well entrenched in the top four and in the box seat for a semi-finals spot.
The win was set up by David Warner’s first international century on English soil and first century since returning to the Aussie side and Aaron Finch’s 82 off 84 balls.
But outside the opening pair, Australia struggled with Shaun Marsh’ 23 the next highest score.
Warner completed the century with a streaky edge through the vacant first slip region but celebrated with a trademark leap.
Warner, although scoring his two slowest ODI fifties in the tournament so far, could not be denied a sensational century off 102 balls.
Warner had been criticised for his slow start to the tournament with Pakistan Twitter accounts posting a meme about the opener.
Warner’s previous high score in England was 89 not out against Afghanistan earlier in the tournament.
While the opening stand of 146 was the highest partnership of the World Cup so far, Australia capitulated to be all out for 307.
The side appeared to be headed for a huge score with 350 and beyond looking more than likely as the Aussies kept the run rate over the six an over mark.
Wickets fell regularly, including 6/30 to wrap up the tail as Australia’s great start fell in a hole.
Warner, despite hitting a phenomenal century — the 15th of his career and his first international ton in England — and winning the man of the match award admitted he “left some runs out there”.
“When I got out, we had 70 balls to go and as the in batter, you want to try to bat the 50 overs,” he said. “I think 300, we could have been around 340-350 but credit to the way Pakistan bowled, their second spells were fantastic, they hit their lines and length and made it hard for us to drive down the ground.”
Aussie legend Shane Warne laid into the Aussie with the bat during the inning break, saying they left 50-60 runs in the middle.
“Really disappointing I reckon, they’ll be very very disappointed in those change rooms the Australian guys,” Warne said on Fox Cricket. “If you look at the numbers, after 22 overs, 0/146 with two guys set, they end up losing 10/161 off the next 28 overs and the last bit 6/30.
“You just don’t want that sort of finish, you want some momentum. Pakistan wrestled it back through brilliance from Mohammad Amir.”
Amir took 5/30, his first international five-wicket haul.
Warne was also stunned by Pakistan’s decision to bowl Mohammad Hafeez, who went for 60 runs of seven overs with Wahab Riaz going for just 44 off eight overs.
Without Hafeez being hit for 8.57 an over, Warne said Pakistan could have kept Australia under 300.
Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed also conceded his team let Australia get away.
“If you take a positive, Hassan Ali batted well and Wahab Riaz batted really well,” he said. “We conceded too many runs, except for Amir, the bowlers didn’t bowl well but after 30 overs, we bowled really well. For me, it was a 270-280 pitch.”
Pakistan also let Australia into the match, dropping several sitters and wasting their review with a call former Aussie coach Darren Lehmann call “one of the worst calls I’ve seen”.
Australia’s next match is Saturday June 15 at 7.30pm AEST against Sri Lanka.
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