Hosts Australia will take on Pakistan in the third quarter-final of ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at Adelaide on Friday. While Australia have been a hard team to beat — having lost only match, and even there by just one wicket — Pakistan scraped through at the eleventh hour with a victory in the final match of the league stage. Australia vs Pakistan in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 quarter-final: SCORECARD
Australia are undoubtedly a side on a roll. Mitchell Starc has been outstanding, while the rest of the bowling has performed as well. Their batting has not relied too heavily on a few players, with everyone in the top six having contributed. ICC World Cup 2015, Quarter-Final 3: Australia favourites but favourites don’t always win, says Misbah
In David Warner and Aaron Finch, Australia have an opening pair capable of causing absolute mayhem at the top. With Steven Smith and Michael Clarke coming in at Nos. 3 and 4, the middle order looks solid as well. Shane Watson and Glenn Maxwell round of the front line batsmen with belligerence. With the likes of Brad Haddin and James Faulkner coming in lower down the order, Australia are a very well-rounded side. Australia call up Steve Waugh for advice ahead of Quarter Final 3 clash against Pakistan in ICC World Cup 2015
On the other hand, Pakistan are a team that can win — or lose — against any team on a given day. This unpredictability will worry a captain like Clarke, who prefers planning ahead of time. Pakistan have peaked at the right time, with the close win against South Africa getting the ball rolling. AUS vs PAK, ICC World Cup 2015: Wasim Akram anticipates battle of left-arm pacers
Pakistan would be most happy to finally have some stability at the top, with Sarfraz Ahmed scoring their first World Cup century since Imran Nazir’s 160 in 2007. Their batting now looks settled, with Ahmed Shehzad and Sarfraz steady at the top, and Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Haris Sohail, and the man who binds it all together, Misbah-ul-Haq, providing a powerful middle order. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS
It speaks volumes of Pakistan’s bowling that despite the absence of Junaid Khan, Saeed Ajmal, and now Mohammad Irfan, their bowling attack remains one of the best ones at the World Cup. Wahab Riaz has been outstanding as usual, while Sohail Khan has been the surprise package. Ehsan Adil did a good job in the last match as well, while Rahat Ali has bowled well also. Their only weak link remains Shahid Afridi, whose bowling has been a far cry from what it was in the ICC World Cup 2011. Given his big-match temperament though, Australia would do well not to ignore the threat he still presents.
On paper, Australia are the clear favourites. But if Pakistan have taught us anything it is that just when everyone writes them off, they rewrite the script in the most exhilarating fashion. One way or another, the match promises to be an exciting one. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Complete Coverage
Squads:
Australia: Michael Clarke (c), David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Shane Watson, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Marsh, George Bailey, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty.
Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Shahid Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Khan, Umar Akmal(wk), Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan, Nasir Jamshed, Ehsan Adil, Haris Sohail.
(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a self-confessed Sci-Fi geek and Cricket fanatic. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)
Written by 
