PERTH, Australia (AP) – Four-time champions Australia and 1992 winners Pakistan demonstrated the gulf between the cricket elite and the second tier with lopsided wins at the World Cup on Wednesday.
Australia, led by opener David Warner’s 178 runs, scored a World Cup-record total of 417 for six after being sent in to bat by Afghanistan at Perth, Australia. The Australians then bowled out Afghanistan for 142 runs in 37.3 overs for a 275-run win – the biggest ever at a World Cup.
The Australian run total eclipsed the 413 for five posted by India against lowly-ranked Bermuda at the 2007 World Cup. And the margin of victory surpassed the previous World Cup high of 257 – set by India against Bermuda in 2007 and equalled by South Africa against West Indies last week in Sydney.
After incurring big losses to arch-rivals India and the West Indies, Pakistan have recovered with victories over Zimbabwe and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to level their win-loss record at 2-2.
The 129-run win Wednesday over UAE came at Napier, New Zealand, where Pakistan scored 339 for six, the first time they have topped 300 runs at the tournament, before restricting the UAE to 210 for eight.
Just how much improvement has been made will be tested in Pakistan’s two remaining matches, though, against South Africa on Saturday in Auckland, and against Ireland in Adelaide on March 15. Pakistan’s chances of reaching the quarter-finals will rest on a win in at least one of those games, and they might have to win both depending on other results.
With the lopsided victories and a marked enhancement of their net run rates, Australia moved into third place in Pool A while Pakistan sit in fourth spot in Pool B, an improvement of two places. The first four teams in each pool qualify for the quarterfinals beginning March 18.
On Thursday in Nelson, New Zealand, Scotland will have another chance to win their first ever cup match and escape last place in Pool A.
Opponents Bangladesh, however, are vying for a quarter-final place. With one win to their credit – a 105-run victory over Afghanistan – and shared points with Australia from a washed-out match in Brisbane, fourth-place Bangladesh could take a major step toward the last eight with a win.
