ADELAIDE: Australia vs Pakistan World Cup 2015 – The third World Cup quarter-final between Australia and Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Australia vs Pakistan World Cup 2015
AUSTRALIA
Captain: Michael Clarke
Coach: Darren Lehmann
Squad: Clarke, Aaron Finch, David Warner, Shane Watson, George Bailey, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Brad Haddin, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc
Results so far at 2015 World Cup:
Beat England by 111 runs (Opener Aaron Finch’s 135 and a 5-33 from paceman Mitchell Marsh gave the co-hosts an easy win)
Match abandoned against Bangladesh (Match called of due to heavy rain without a ball being bowled at the Gabba in Brisbane)
Lost to New Zealand by one wicket (Mitchell Starc’s 6-28 could not compensate for a batting collapse)
Beat Afghanistan by 275 runs (David Warner top-scored with 178 in an Australia’s run-feast)
Beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs (Glenn Maxwell smashed 102 in 53 balls to outshine Kumar Sangakkara ton)
Beat Scotland by seven wickets (Starc led Scotland’s rout and Australia chased down target in 15.2 overs)
Top performers:
Warner (264 runs): Warner made the most of the Afghanistan bowling, scoring 178 against them in Perth and got a start in three of his four other innings.
Maxwell (257 runs): The middle-order batsman has been in red-hot form, smashing bowlers to all corners of the ground and often with unconventional shots. He has scored 66, 1, 88 and 102 in four knocks and also took three wickets with his off-spin.
Starc (16 wickets): The left-arm seamer tops the list of wicket-takers and has taken wickets at an average of 8.50. He has bowled fast and accurate.
Key to beating Pakistan: Starc will have to make early inroads and the frontline batsmen need to deliver against Pakistan’s formidable bowling.
PAKISTAN
Captain: Misbah-ul-Haq
Coach: Waqar Younis
Squad: Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shehzad, Haris Sohail, Misbah, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali, Younus Khan, Safraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Ehsan Adil
Results so far at 2015 World Cup:
Lost to India by 76 runs (India posted 300-5 despite a 5-55 from Sohail Khan and the chase proved too steep for Pakistan against their arch-rivals)
Lost to West Indies by 150 runs (Pakistan were reduced to 1-4, chasing 311 for victory and were finally all out for 160 in 39 overs for their second straight loss)
Beat Zimbabwe by 20 runs (Another below-par batting show saw Pakistan post 235-7 but their fast bowlers responded brilliantly, finishing off Zimbabwe for 215)
Beat UAE by 129 runs (Pakistan piled up 339-6 with three half-centuries from their batsmen and then restricted their opponents to 210-8 for a thumping win)
Beat South Africa by 29 runs via Duckworth-Lewis (The Pakistan pacemen again came to the rescue, bundling out the Proteas for 202 defending a modest total)
Beat Ireland by seven wickets (Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed hit the first hundred for Pakistan in the ongoing tournament to guide his side to victory)
Best performers:
Misbah (316 runs): The Pakistan captain has been in prime form, often taking his team out of trouble and to a respectable score. He has hit four fifties in his six innings.
Wahab Riaz (14 wickets): The left-arm paceman has bowled short and fast on the responsive pitches in Australia and New Zealand to emerge as the team’s highest wicket-taker.
Key to beating Australia: Bowling will be Pakistan’s strength but the fast bowlers would need the team to give them some sort of a total to defend. The start will be crucial from Pakistan’s openers.
