Australia and Pakistan desperately need to avoid upsets at the Cricket World Cup on Wednesday to keep on track for the quarter-finals.Australia face Afghanistan and defeat would probably represent the greatest shock in the history of cricket.Pakistan-normally one of the most dangerous teams in world cricket-have struggled for form so far and they are up against the UAE in tonight's first game.
Australia captain Michael Clarke insists his team will not take Afghanistan lightly when they meet in Perth.The co-host,an overwhelming favourite to add to its impressive tally of World Cup crowns,has had numerous injury and fitness issues to grapple with,the latest ruling Pat Cummins out of Wednesday’s game with a niggle in the side.Additionally,it has picked up just one point from its last two games,courtesy the washout in Brisbane against Bangladesh and the loss to New Zealand.
But the hosts go into the game in fourth place, just a point ahead of the Pool A minnows, whose fairytale story continued with their first World Cup victory over Scotland.Defeat last Saturday against New Zealand was a chastening experience for the four-time champion.Australia did fight back spectacularly with the ball through Mitchell Starc after being shot out for 151,and it needed the ice cool of Kane Williamson to haul stuttering New Zealand over the line.But Trent Boult in particular exposed the vulnerability of the Australian batting against top-class swing.The gains from the crushing win over England in its tournament opener might have been frittered away somewhat,so Australia needs a commanding performance to get its campaign back on the rails.
It’s more than possible that Afghanistan will face a fearsome backlash, not just from Watson but from Australia as a whole, smarting from its poor batting display in Auckland. David Warner is due, as is Steven Smith; that is a frightening prospect, given how much bruising damage Warner is capable of and how Smith loves to string one big score after another. Afghanistan has the pace bowling resources to keep Australia honest, but Hamid Hassan, Shapoor Zadran and Dawlat Zadran would have to guard against getting carried away by the pace and the bounce they would generate like they haven’t till now.
