Australia set challenging 368-run target for Pakistan

Australia set a challenging 368-run target for Pakistan in the 18th match of Cricket World Cup 2023 in Bengaluru on Friday evening.

Australian batters flied in the sky giving no chance to Pakistani bowlers.

David Warner and Mitchell Marsh put on a masterclass in power-hitting against Pakistan as the five-time champions posted a daunting total of 367-9.

Warner entertained the crowd with a blistering knock of 163 off 124 balls while Marsh walked off with a career-best 121 as the pair combined for 24 boundaries and 18 sixes while Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi picked up five wickets.

Pakistan won the toss and put Australia in to bat but skipper Babar Azam's hopes of picking up early wickets quickly evaporated when Warner and Marsh went all guns blazing to put on a 259-run opening stand.

Playing XIs

Australia: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(w), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf.