Australia take on Pakistan in the 18th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
With one win in three games, Australia are reeling at seventh position on the points table, while Pakistan are at the fourth place, having won two of their three matches.
MORE: Play the CWC 2023 Predictor game to win the latest Apple gadget and big INR prizes (India only)!
After losing their starting two fixtures, Australia bounced back to lay Sri Lanka to waste, bowling them out for 199 runs and then completing the chase in the 36th over.
Pakistan are under immense pressure. Although they are better placed, a heavy seven-wicket defeat to arch-rivals India is what that surely would have dented their confidence with criticism coming on to them from every corner. We can expect a few changes with vice-captain Shadab Khan likely to be dropped. Fakhar Zaman can also replace out of form Imam-ul-Haq.
AUS vs PAK Cricket World Cup 2023: Live updates, scorecard, result and highlights
Follow below for all the action from this Cricket World Cup 2023 match, or you can check out the live scorecard here.
10:08 pm- Once Australia got 367, they were always ahead of the game, even if it had looked like they would get 400+ at one stage. Pakistan did well to limit them in the last 10 overs, and even got off to a good start with the bat.
After the three quick wickets of Shafique, Imam and Babar, things started to get shaky for Pakistan, and Adam Zampa returned to end their hopes completely. Australia now join Pakistan on 4 points and move into the top four.
10:07 pm- WICKET! Shaheen jumps down the wicket, and gets hold of Cummins, trying to hit him over the leg side. He hits it well, but only finds Glenn Maxwell on the boundary. Pakistan 305/10 in 45.3 overs (Rauf 0*, Shaheen 10).
Last man in is Haris Rauf.
10:02 pm- WICKET! Hasan Ali shuffles to the off side and tries to lift Starc over the keeper. He can only glove it through to Inglis, though. Pakistan 301/9 in 44.5 overs (Nawaz 8, Shaheen 6*).
Hasan Ali comes to the crease.
9:55 pm- WICKET! Zampa gets his fourth wicket with the last ball of his spell. Nawaz came down the track and the Aussie just fired it in quicker and flatter. An easy stumping for Josh Inglis in the end. Pakistan 287/8 in 43 overs (Nawaz 14, Shaheen 0*).
In comes Shaheen Shah Afridi.
9:48 pm- WICKET! Oh dear, it's starting to become a bit of a procession now. Usama Mir tries to lift Hazlewood over the leg side, but only gets it on the inside half of the bat, and it balloons straight to fine leg. Pakistan 277/7 in 41.5 overs (Nawaz 5*, Usama 0).
Usama Mir comes out to the middle.
9:43 pm- WICKET! That could be the game! Rizwan moves around the crease and tries to sweep Zampa. It hits him on the back pad, and he's given out. DRS says umpire's call, and he has to go. Pakistan 274/6 in 40.5 overs (Nawaz 2*, Rizwan 46).
The new man in is Mohammad Nawaz.
9:32 pm- WICKET! That's another huge blow for Australia. Iftikhar tries to play Zampa off the back foot, but it flicks his pad before he gets an inside edge, and he's trapped plumb in front of the stumps. Pakistan 269/5 in 38.5 overs (Iftikhar 26, Rizwan 34*).
Iftikhar Ahmed is the new batter.
9:10 pm- WICKET! Now Stoinis takes a catch! Cummins banged this one in short, and Shakeel tries to pull it but it splices straight up for a simple catch. Pakistan 232/4 in 34.2 overs (Shakeel 30, Rizwan 34*).
8:52 pm- The last half an hour or so has been much better for Australia. They've managed to remove both openers, as well as get the big wicket of Babar Azam to leave Pakistan a bit more precariously placed now. Still a long way to go, though. Pakistan 200/3 in 30 overs (Shakeel 14*, Rizwan 19*).
In comes Saud Shakeel.
8:32 pm- WICKET! That is a huge blow! Adam Zampa dropped this one a bit short. Babar tries to pull it away, but only find his opposite number Pat Cummins at mid-wicket, who takes an excellent diving catch. Australia are right back in this game here. Pakistan 175/3 in 26.2 overs (Babar 18, Rizwan 14*).
Mohammad Rizwan is the new batter.
8:17 pm- WICKET! It's another for Stoinis! This ball was short and wide, and Imam-ul-Haq slashed at it, going over the off side. But it goes very fine off the bat, carrying straight to third man. Pakistan 154/2 in 23.4 overs (Babar 12*, Imam-ul-Haq 70).
In comes Babar Azam.
8:04 pm- WICKET! Marcus Stoinis strikes with his very first ball! Shafique jumped down the track to meet the ball, but Stoinis saw him coming and banged it in short. It cramped up the batter, who skied it, for an easy catch to midwicket. Pakistan 134/1 in 21.1 overs (Shafique 64, Imam-ul-Haq 63*).
7:56 pm- 20 overs down, and now the two openers, having crossed 50, are looking to target a couple of bowlers, particularly Glenn Maxwell. They've maintained the scoring at 6 runs per over, and will be looking to up the ante for a while at least now. Pakistan 131/0 in 20 overs (Shafique 62*, Imam-ul-Haq 62*).
7:36 pm- More good progress for Pakistan so far. Imam and Shafique are closing in on a century opening stand, just the start they would have wanted to enable the likes of Babar and Rizwan to play with some freedom later on. Pakistan 94/0 in 15 overs (Shafique 45*, Imam-ul-Haq 42*).
7:13 pm- Aaron Finch mentioned during the innings break that Pakistan "couldn't win this match in the first 10 overs, but they could lose it and they need to avoid that". They've done just that so far, scoring at a decent clip and most importantly not losing any wickets. Still on course to make a good fist of this chase. Pakistan 59/0 in 10 overs (Shafique 22*, Imam-ul-Haq 31*).
6:51 pm- This has been a good start for Pakistan. They've been helped a bit by Mitchell Starc not quite finding his radar, and if they can score at a run a ball without losing a wicket in this first Powerplay, they'll have done well. They're well on course for that so far. Pakistan 40/0 in 5 overs (Shafique 10*, Imam-ul-Haq 25*).
6:25 pm- Pakistan have already set a record for the highest World Cup chase in this tournament, and they will need to break their own record to win this game today. Stranger things have happened, and they will need to believe. Abdullah Shafique on strike, Mitchell Starc with ball in hand. Wide down the leg side, Pakistan on the board. Pakistan 1/0 in 0.1 overs (Shafique 0*, Imam-ul-Haq 0*).
We will be back after the innings break.
5:55 pm- Pakistan bounce back a bit but it's still Australia, who are the favourites to win the match at the halfway mark. Target for Pakistan is 368 runs.
Adam Zampa is Australia's No.11.
5:50 pm- WICKET! Afridi claims a five-for as Hazlewood departs for a golden duck. Australia 363/9 in 49.2 overs (Cummins 4*, Zampa 0*)
Josh Hazlewood is the new batter.
5:48 pm- WICKET! Afridi foxes Starc with a slower delivery. Australia 363/8 in 49.1 overs (Cummins 4*, Hazlewood 0*)
Mitchell Starc is in the centre.
5:43 pm- WICKET! Hit hard by Labuschagne but straight to the hands of the hands of the sub-fielder Shadab Khan. Rauf bags his third. Australia 360/7 in 48.3 overs (Cummins 3*, Starc 0*)
Pat Cummins joins Labuschagne at the crease.
5:37 pm- WICKET! Stoinis tries the paddle the ball fine but Afridi catches him in front of the stumps. It's a plumb LBW. Australia 354/6 in 47.1 overs (Labuschagne 8*, Cummins 0*)
Marnus Labuschagne is out in the middle.
5:21 pm- WICKET! Rauf scalps another as Pakistan are making a mini comeback here. Inglis departs. Australia 339/5 in 44.2 overs (Stoinis 15*, Labuschagne 0*)
Josh Inglis comes to the crease.
5:09 pm- WICKET! Rauf strikes and dismisses the big fish, Warner. Australia 325/4 in 42.2 overs (Stoinis 14*, Inglis 0*)
4:58 pm- 150 FOR WARNER! There is no stopping him today. Will he achieve a World Cup double-hundred? Australia 303/3 in 40.1 overs (Warner 151*, Stoinis 4*)
Marcus Stoinis walks out to bat.
4:50 pm- WICKET! Smith is a goner. He looks to punch the ball down to mid-off but hits it straight to Mir, who completes a caught and bowled. Australia 284/1 in 38 overs (Warner 139*, Stoinis 0*)
4:45 pm- DROPPED! Now, Babar Azam puts down a straightforward catch at slip as Smith breathes a sigh of relief. Australia 262/2 in 34.5 overs (Warner 126*, Smith 1*)
Steve Smith is in at No.4.
4:30 pm- WICKET! Two in two for Afridi. Maxwell's promotion comes to a premature end. Australia 259/1 in 34 overs (Warner 124*, Smith 0*)
Glenn Maxwell is the new batter.
4:28 pm- WICKET! Finally, Pakistan can celebrate. Afridi dismisses Marsh, who tries to flick a full delivery but gets taken at the short fine-leg by Mir. Australia 259/1 in 33.5 overs (Warner 124*, Marsh 121*)
4:17 pm- DROPPED! Catches win matches, but Pakistan do not seem to believe so. Abdullah Shafique spills another chance as this is the second time today, Warner's catch has been put down. Australia 231/0 in 32.2 overs (Warner 109*, Marsh 109*)
4:07 pm- CENTURIES FOR WARNER AND MARSH! The pocket dynamo gets to hundred and then his partner follows suit. What an opening stand this has been. Australia 214/0 in 31 overs (Warner 100*, Marsh 101*)
3:45 pm- Good five overs of play from Pakistan. Probably, the best they have bowled in this match so far. Australia 172/0 in 25 overs (Warner 85*, Marsh 76*)
3:29 pm- The game is slipping away sooner than expected for Pakistan. Is a 400-run total on the cards? The way Warner and Marsh are batting, surely yes. Australia 149/0 in 20 overs (Warner 74*, Marsh 64*)
3:07 PM- 50 FOR MARSH! Back-to-back half-centuries from Marsh. After his failures in the first two games, he is turning up well. Australia 121/0 in 14.2 overs (Warner 62*, Marsh 50*)
2:59 pm- 100 UP FOR Australia AND 50 FOR WARNER! This has been some start. Pakistan have been made to kneel down. Australia 100/0 in 12.3 overs (Warner 52*, Marsh 41*)
Usama Mir will bowl the 11th over.
2:49 pm- WOW! Australia have gone bonkers. 10 fours and four sixes were hit in the batting powerplay as Pakistan are left gasping for breath. Australia 82/0 in 10 overs (Warner 40*, Marsh 35*)
2:44 pm- 24 runs come off Rauf's over as both Warner and Marsh go full throttle. Australia 67/0 in 9 overs (Warner 33*, Marsh 27*)
2:41 pm- SIX! Warner just helps the ball on its way to attain a maximum. Australia 53/0 in 8.2 overs (Warner 32*, Marsh 15*)
Another change in bowling. Haris Rauf is handed the ball as Pakistan look for a breakthrough.
Iftikhar Ahmed comes in to the attack.
2:21 pm- DROPPED! Easy catch put down. Usama Mir it is. Warner gets a lifeline as Afridi is denied a wicket. Australia 22/0 in 4.3 overs (Warner 10*, Marsh 10*)
Hasan Ali will bowl from the other end.
2:06 pm- SIX! Marsh goes down the ground and it's the sign of how good the pitch. Afridi is struggling to find the right line and length. Australia 7/0 in 0.5 overs (Warner 1*, Marsh 6*)
1:59 pm- Aussie openers David Warner and Mitchell Marsh have taken their positions. Shaheen Shah Afridi has the ball in his hand. It's time for the action!
AUS vs PAK: Line-ups
Playing XI for Australia: Mitchell Marsh, David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
Predicted XI for Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam ul Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf
AUS vs PAK: Toss
Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl.
AUS vs PAK Head-to-Head in ODIs
The two teams have played 107 ODIs against one another with Australia winning 69 of those. Pakistan have come out on top 34 times. Three games have ended in a no-result, while a match got tied.
| Won | Lost | NR/Tie | |
| Australia | 69 | 34 | 4 |
| Pakistan | 34 | 69 | 4 |
AUS vs PAK: Weather Forecast in Bengaluru
It will be a sunny day in Bengaluru with the temperature touching 31° Celsius in the day. Still, there are 5% chances or rain predicted.
AUS vs PAK Predictions, tips and betting odds
Australia are coming off to this contest with a win. Meanwhile, Pakistan recently suffered a confidence-shattering loss.
Australia's only problem is the spin department. They have no one apart from Adam Zampa to rely upon. As for Pakistan, their line-up is not settled. On odd days, their batting would do well, but lacks consistency. Their bowling too is not performing well.
All things point at Australia's victory. However, Pakistan, as everyone knows, is the most unpredictable side and surely cannot be counted out of this clash.
As per the Dafabet odds, Australia will start as favourites.
| Winning team | Odds (via Dafa) |
| Australia | 1.57 |
| Pakistan | 2.48 |
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