Zampa fuels Aussie win after Pak drop Warner

David Warner and Mitchell Marsh hit hundreds in a record opening stand to propel Australia to 367/9 and Pakistan gave it a good go till they couldn't any longer, folding for 305, at Bangalore on Friday.

- Somshuvra Laha

With pride at stake after comprehensive defeats to India and South Africa, this was exactly the kind of turnaround Australia were seeking in order to boost their credentials. Courtesy this win, Australia have now broken into the top-four with an almost repaired net run rate.

Warner and Marsh took full advantage of a flat pitch and tantalisingly small boundaries to go on a rampage that yielded 259 runs in 33.5 overs. Warner hit 163 in 124 balls, with 14 boundaries and nine massive sixes. Marsh, celebrating his 32nd birthday, hit ten boundaries and nine sixes.

Having chased 345 in Hyderabad earlier, this chase shouldn't I have been beyond Pakistan's means, but neither of their openers could convert their fifties into hundreds as the rest of the middle-order succumbed to the pressure of chase.

At the end of the day, two centuries should have headlined Australia's win, yet there is an unshakeable feeling this match could have gone a different direction had it not been for a dropped catch.

It was probably a bit earlythe fifth over in fact-to find the memes and enqueue them. A typical Warner loose shot on 10, top-edging a wide, short ball from Shaheen Afridi - had no other business but to be caught at mid-on as the ball swirled in the thin Bengaluru air for a good five seconds. But Usama Mir, on debut, didn't even get his fingers on the ball.