Australia’s unbeaten run snapped

COLOMBO:

Paceman Umar Gul claimed three victims as Pakistan beat Australia by four wickets, ending the defending champions’ magical unbeaten 34-match World Cup run and capturing top spot in Group A.

Gul took three for 30 to help Pakistan dismiss Australia for 176 – their lowest World Cup total since 1992 – before Umar Akmal hit an unbeaten 44 to steer Pakistan to victory in 41 overs, finishing top of the pool with 10 points. Pakistan, champions in 1992, will play the fourth placed team in Group B, while Australia (nine points) finished third behind Sri Lanka (nine points) on run-rate and will play the second placed team from Group B.

Saturday’s loss was Australia’s first in the World Cup since losing to Pakistan by 10 runs in Leeds in 1999. But the champions, led by spearhead Brett Lee (four for 28), fought hard and twice raised hopes of an unlikely win.

Pakistan were cruising along on 98 for two before Lee derailed the chase in his first over of his second spell, dismissing Younis Khan (31) and Misbahul Haq for a first-ball duck — both caught by keeper Brad Haddin. Mitchell Johnson removed Asad Shafiq (46) while Jason Krejza tempted captain Shahid Afridi (two) to hole out in the deep, but Umar and Abdul Razzaq (20*) saw their team home with a cautious 36-run stand for the seventh wicket. Razzaq hit two boundaries off spinner Jason Krejza to complete the victory.

Afridi thrilled to beat Australia

Afridi praised his bowlers for his side’s momentous World Cup win over Australia.

“We made some good plans against these guys and I think the boys, they all stuck to the plans,” said Afridi, thanking his bowlers for limiting Australia’s batsmen.

“I think Gul and Abdur Rehman [one for 34] started really well and all the bowlers did a great job and credit goes to the bowlers.”

Questioned about his own dismissal, when he holed out to Brett Lee in the deep off Krejza for two, Afridi held his hands up.

“Don’t ask. That was an irresponsible shot as a captain at a stage like that.”

Afridi was pleased to top the group but he said there were no weak sides in the tournament.

“I don’t think any team is weaker in this competition but this victory was very, very important to keep us in a good position in the group and I think you can imagine now how we will play the quarter-final with a positive body language.”

Ponting left to rue loss

Disappointed captain Ricky Ponting said, “We certainly got a tough game today. We didn’t do ourselves any favours. I thought our batting effort was deeply ordinary.

“We stuck it out really well with the ball. I thought the guys bowled pretty well and gave ourselves a bit of a sniff when they went six down but not enough runs on the board.”

Ponting said his major concern was that Australia had not been pushed hard enough in previous games.

“We haven’t been pushed in games which is probably our biggest worry but we certainly have been today and I think we can all learn some lessons from the way that we batted today and make sure we do it better next time.”

Earlier, Gul and Razzaq exposed the untested Australian batting after Ponting decided to bat on a seemingly flat R Premadasa stadium pitch.

Haddin (42), Michael Clarke (34) and Steve Smith (25) offered some resistance as Pakistan applied relentless pressure to take the last seven Australian wickets for a mere 59 runs after they were 117 for three.

Pakistan then took four crucial wickets in the space of just 30 runs to reduce the Australians to 147 for seven. Gul removed Krejza and Lee cheaply to wrap the Australian innings for their sixth lowest World Cup total.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2011.