WC 2011: Pak bowl out Aust for 176

A splendid effort by Pakistan in the field helped them skittle out Australia for their lowest World Cup total since 1992 to raise hopes of ending Australia’s 12-year unbeaten run in the mega event here on Saturday. Earlier, Umar Gul fought a troubling knee in his first over of the day to come back and castle the dangerous Shane Watson for just nine runs.

Ricky Ponting (19) and Brad Haddin then tried to put Australian innings back on track after Shane Watson’s early loss but Mohammad Hafeez got one to take an edge off Ponting’s bat that was ruled in favour of the bowler after Shahid Afridi chose to review the on-field not-out call.

The decision led to an angry exchange of words between Haddin and Pakistani players, which needed umpires’ intervention.
Haddin kept on fighting at the other end to reach 42 runs but that’s when Wahab Riaz struck to remove the Australia wicketkeeper.

The onus to bring Australia back on track was now on Cameron White and Michael Clarke but that too didn’t transpire as the latter got needlessly run out after making just eight.

But that’s not where Australia’s slide ended. Australia lost half their side as Michael Clarke when Afridi introduce Abdul Razzaq who got rid of Aussie vice captain Michael Clarke.

Earlier, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat first.

The Aussies went into the match with the same side that beat Canada in the last match. However, Pakistan made one change in their playing eleven from the last match, with Umar Akmal coming in for Ahmad Shehzad.

Pakistan was the last team to beat the defending champions at a World Cup way back in 1999, following which the Australians haven’t lost a World Cup match.

It will be a real test for both the teams before the quarterfinal stage as Ponting’s men will like to be tested by an in-form Pakistan side.
Pakistan has 8 points in the competition so far whereas Australia has 9.

Teams:
Australia: R Ponting, BJ Haddin, S Watson, M Clarke, C White, M Hussey, S Smith, M Johnson, B Lee, J Krejza, S Tait

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz






Keywords: R Ponting, BJ Haddin, S Watson, M Clarke, C White, M Hussey, S Smith, M Johnson, B Lee, J Krejza, S Tait,Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, dangerous Shane Watson,World Cup match