ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: David Warner decimates Pakistan with brutal ton

David Warner had shown that he was in fine form ever since he returned from his one-year ban due to the ball-tampering scandal. The left-hander was in brilliant form in the 2019 Indian Premier League, smashing 692 runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad and finishing as the leading run-getter in the tournament. In the 2019 World Cup, Warner had smashed two fifties in three games with one failure coming against the West Indies in Trent Bridge. However, Warner finally broke the jinx and smashed his 15^th century and his first in ODIs after two years. His last ton was against India in the Bangalore ODI in 2017 and this was his first century in England, with his previous highest being 89* against Afghanistan in Bristol.

Australia was inserted in to bat on a green pitch with overcast conditions but Aaron Finch and Warner were helped by some inconsistent bowling and sloppy fielding from Pakistan. Finch was dropped on 26 as he batted aggressively while Warner played second fiddle.

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Warner got going with a couple of boundaries off Shaheen Afridi but he struggled against the pace and accuracy of Mohammad Amir. When Finch blasted his 23^rd fifty, Warner notched up his fifty with a brilliant shot off Hasan Ali. Warner continued to punish Hasan Ali with two boundaries straight down the ground to long off and despite losing Finch for 82, the aggression was sustained. The left-hander hammered a four and a six off Shoaib Malik as he neared his century.

Warner went to the 90s with an edge to the third man fence and despite losing Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell, Warner held his nerve and he got an edge past slip to the third man fence for his third century against Pakistan. With Finch's 82 and Warner's blazing ton, Australia are on course to reach a massive score and get back to winning ways against a mercurial Pakistan side who are struggling for consistency. In the previous series between the two sides, Pakistan was whitewashed 0-5 by Australia as they lost 11 consecutive games before they snapped it in grand style with a win against England in Trent Bridge.

HIGHLIGHTS

• David Warner slammed a century in ODIs after two years.
• Australia has a 5-4 head-to-head record against Pakistan in World Cups.
• Aaron Finch also slammed his 23rd fifty.