Afghanistan beat Pakistan for the first time in one-day cricket by pulling off their highest successful chase in a World Cup thriller at Chennai on Monday. Ibrahim Zadran made 87, Rahmanullah Gurbaz smacked 65 and Rahmat Shah struck an unbeaten 77 as Afghanistan reached their target of 283 with eight wickets and six balls to spare. Afghanistan are up to sixth, leaving holders England bottom of the table. Captain Babar Azam earlier made 74 as Pakistan posted 282-7. Teenage spinner Noor Ahmad was the pick of the Afghanistan bowlers, taking 3-49. It is Afghanistan's first win over Pakistan in ODIs at the eighth attempt, with their total of 286-2 seeing them eclipse their previous record successful chase of 276-8 when set 274 to beat United Arab Emirates in 2014.
Australia outclass Pakistan
Earlier Australia outclassed Pakistan in Bengaluru on Friday. David Warner and Mitchell Marsh saw Australia post 367/9 in 50 overs. For Pakistan, openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq put up a 134-run stand, scoring half centuries in the process. Marcus Stoinis ended that stand by dismissing Shafique with his first ball and later went on to get Imam out as well and Pakistan ended up being all out for 305.
Kohli shines as India beat New Zealand
Virat Kohli’s crafty 95 trumped Daryl Mitchell’s rapid 130 as India beat New Zealand by four wickets in a top-of-the-table clash in World Cup at Dharamsala on Sunday. Kohli could not complete the chase but his matured knock helped India to reach a victory target of 274 with two overs to spare to maintain their unbeaten run in the tournament. Mitchell smashed a rapid hundred before New Zealand were all out for 273. Electing to field, India removed both the openers early but were sloppy on the field, dropping three catches. Mitchell forged a 159-run partnership with Rachin Ravindra (75) and New Zealand, sitting pretty at 205-3 in the 37th over, looked poised for a 300-plus total before Indian bowlers applied the brake. Mohammed Shami led that effort, claiming 5-54 in his first match of the tournament. Skipper Rohit Sharma (46) led India’s rollicking start but it was Kohli’s fourth 50-plus score in five innings that helped to inflict on New Zealand their first defeat of the tournament.
South Africa thrash England
In a commanding display of all-around prowess, South Africa handed a resounding defeat to the reigning world champions, England, with a staggering 229 runs in a World Cup match held in Mumbai on Saturday. Taking their turn at the crease first, Heinrich Klaasen's remarkable century and his formidable 151-run partnership with Marco Jansen propelled South Africa to 399 for 7. Reece Topley emerged as England's most successful bowler, with figures of 3 for 88, while Adil Rashid contributed two wickets. In response, England could only muster 170 runs in 22 overs, with Gerald Coetzee claiming three wickets for 35 runs in just four overs. This defeat marked the 14th largest margin of loss in the history of ODI World Cups and was particularly significant for England, as it became their most substantial defeat in this prestigious tournament.
India drub Bangladesh
Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 103 as India made it four wins out of four at the Cricket World Cup with a seven-wicket defeat of Bangladesh in Pune on Thursday. India, set a target of 257, finished on 261-3 inside 42 overs with Kohli hitting the winning runs when he reached his hundred with a six off spinner Nasum Ahmed. India began the chase strongly as Rohit and Shubman begin in attacking mode and hitting the Bangladeshi bowlers. Despite a slow start, Bangladesh openers gained pace and scrored 100 runs in 17.2 overs. However, wickets started to fall form there as Indian bowlers took the charge starting from Kuldeep Yadav to Ravindra Jadeja. For Bangladesh, Tanzid Hasan (51), Litton Das (66), Mushfiqur Rahim (38) and Mahmudullah (46) scored important runs and led the team to a toal of 256/8 in 50 overs. For India, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah picked 2 wickets each, while Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav took one each.
Clinical Kiwis rout sloppy Afghans
New Zealand scored its fourth straight win to open the Cricket World Cup by beating Afghanistan by 149 runs after half-centuries by Glenn Phillips and Tom Latham at Chennai. Phillips was the top scorer with 71 off 80 balls and put on 144 runs for the fifth wicket with Latham (68) to rescue the Black Caps from a precarious 110-4 as they posted 288-6. New Zealand curtailed Afghanistan, which was coming off a surprising 69-run win over England, to 139 all out in 34.4 overs and registered another big victory in the competition to boost its net run rate. Black Caps are in first place on a maximum eight points, with India - with three straight victories - the only other unbeaten team.
Netherlands humiliate Proteas
Netherlands defeated mighty South Africa by 38 runs at the Cricket World Cup at Dharamsala on Tuesday as the European outsiders humiliated the Proteas for the second time in a year. Chasing 246 to win from a rain-reduced 43 overs after Dutch captain Scott Edwards made a crucial 78 not out, South Africa were bowled out for 207. In November last year, the Dutch sent South Africa crashing of the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia. The victory was the World Cup's second major shock in three days after Afghanistan defeated defending champions England on Sunday. South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma admitted it was a painful defeat.