AUS vs PAK: Shaheen Afridi sets new Pakistan record with 2nd 5-wicket haul in World Cup

Shaheen Shah Afridi stood out from the rest of the Pakistan bowlers on a day when the Australia batters tore into their bowling unit and posted a mammoth total of 367 for 9 in 50 overs in their World Cup 2023 match in Bengaluru.

Babar Azam won the toss and opted to bowl on Friday at the batter-friendly M Chinnaswamy Stadium following which their fielders and bowlers did not back it up. It all went downhill from the moment leg-spinner Usama Mir put down David Warner on 10, leading to frustration from Shaheen Afridi, the bowler.

Pakistan bowlers were taken to the cleaners as David Warner made full use of the extra life that came his way. Joining him was birthday boy Mitchell Marsh as the two batters hit hundreds and post a record-breaking opening stand of 259 runs in just 199 balls. Finch and Warner hit as many as 18 sixes and 24 boundaries between them as the Pakistan bowlers lost the plot.

PAKISTAN



PACERS WITH WORLD CUP FIFERS

Wasim Akram - 5 for 28 against Namibia in 2003

Wahab Riaz - 5 for 46 against India in 2001

Sohail Khan - 5 for 55 against India in 2015

Mohammad Amir - 5 for 30 against Australia in 2019

Shaheen Afridi - 6 for 35 against Bangladesh in 2019

Shaheen Afridi - 5 for 54 against Australia in 2023

Afridi broke the opening stand, getting the big wicket of Mitchell Marsh for 129 and removed Glenn Maxwell in the very next delivery.

Shaheen Afridi also got the dangerous Marcus Stoinis out for 21 and jolted the tail. Shaheen was on a hat-trick twice in the innings as he found some form after having had a poor start to the World Cup.

Australia went on to post 367, thanks to the sensational 163 from David Warner and 121 from Mitchell Marsh.