Australia’s World Cup clash against Bangladesh was a washout yesterday as heavy rain, the legacy of Tropical Cyclone Marcia, drenched Brisbane, Australia, as Pakistan sunk to a heavy defeat to the West Indies in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Marcia, a category five storm which slammed into the Queensland coast late on Thursday causing widespread devastation, had been downgraded to a tropical low yesterday morning, but forecasters were still expecting another 45mm to 120mm of rain to swamp the Gabba, adding to the 77mm which had already fallen on Brisbane since Friday.
The Pool A fixture was called off, a no-result declared and the teams awarded a point apiece.
Photo: AFP
In Christchurch, the West Indies cashed in on a sensational Pakistan batting collapse to notch their first win of the tournament by 150 runs at the Hagley Oval.
The 1975 and 1979 champions scored 310-6, with 115 runs coming in a swashbuckling final 10 overs as Lendl Simmons, Andre Russell and Darren Sammy hit out.
In reply, Pakistan crumbled to their second straight defeat when they were all out for 160 after the top four wickets fell in the first four overs for just one run, the worst start in one-day international history.
Meanwhile, the West Indies blocked out memories of their shock loss to Ireland as six batsmen posted scores of 30 or more.
Denesh Ramdin top-scored with 51, Simmons added 50 to go with his century against Ireland, Darren Bravo scored 49, Russell smashed 42 not out off 17 balls, while Marlon Samuels and Sammy chipped in with 38 and 30 respectively.
Bravo was unfortunate not to reach what would have been his 17th one-day half-century when he was forced to retire hurt with a pulled hamstring.
It was the second time he required medical treatment after being dazed earlier in the innings when a powerful throw from Younis Khan hit him on the side of the helmet as he scrambled through for a single.
“It was a wonderful performance,” West Indies skipper Jason Holder said. “We batted really well. Russell, Simmons and Sammy added impetus at the end of the innings. Jerome Taylor [three for 15] was excellent with the new ball.”
Pakistan were staring down the barrel at 1-4.
Nasir Jamshed went without scoring when he lobbed the second ball from Taylor to Russell at short-midwicket.
Taylor finished off the opening over with Younis caught behind for a duck and in his next over dismissed Haris Sohail to have the impressive figures of two overs, three wickets and one run.
Holder bagged his first wicket of the tournament when he had Ahmed Shahzad caught in the gully for 1 in his first over.
“It was a tough day, especially after we won the toss,” said Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, whose side at least saved face to a certain degree thanks to Umar Akmal’s 59 and Sohaib Maqsood’s 50. “The guys batting up front have been struggling a bit and that made it very difficult for us, especially on a pitch like that, with the ball seaming a bit. We just have to pick ourselves up.”
Yesterday’s result, combined with their opening loss to defending champions India, left Pakistan at the bottom of Pool B, but the West Indies’ chances of making the top four to qualify for the quarter-finals improved considerably.
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