Australia’s 34-match unbeaten run in the Cricket World Cup dating back to 1999 was finally broken by Pakistan on Saturday when Ricky Ponting’s team were beaten by four wickets.
Australia, who have won the last three World Cups during the run and were unbeaten in five matches in Group A in this tournament, were skittled out for 176.Pakistan overhauled the total with 54 balls to spare.
Australia had already qualified for the quarter-finals but will now finish third in the group rather than top, a place now occupied by Pakistan.Australia crumbed to 176, after choosing to bat, with Umar Gul (3-30) and Abdul Razzaq (2-8) impressing.Brett Lee took 4-28 in reply, but Umar Akmal saw them home with an unbeaten 48.
Pakistan was incidentally the team that last beat Australia in 1999 and it was fitting that Abdul Razzaq, the only man in its team to play in both games, hit the winning boundary.