Cricket World Cup’s most treasured unbeaten winning streak is finally over.
Australia’s 34-match undefeated run dating back to 1999 was broken by Pakistan yesterday.
The three-time defending champions were shot out for a modest 176 and Pakistan, the last team to beat them at cricket’s most prestigious stage, won by four wickets after completing their target with 54 balls to spare in a Group A match in the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Australia had already qualified for the quarter-finals but will now finish third in the group rather than top, a place now occupied by Pakistan.
“We certainly had a tough game. We didn’t do ourselves any favours. I thought our batting effort was particularly ordinary,” a dejected captain Ricky Ponting said.
