'We Couldn't Finish... Hopefully We Will Learn': Abdullah Shafique On Pakistan's Defeat vs Australia

Opener Abdullah Shafique bemoaned the failure of Pakistan to chase down a record World Cup 368-run target to beat Australia on Friday.

Pakistan were defeated by 62 runs and now have two defeats to go along with their two wins at the tournament so far.

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They were particularly sloppy in the field, dropping David Warner on 10 in the fifth over of the match.

Warner went on to smash 163 with fellow opener Mitchell Marsh also feasting on a flat Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch, scoring 121 on his 32nd birthday.

Shafique insisted Usama Mir dropping Warner was crucial.

“Catches obviously change a game, you get wickets and you get momentum. All fielders are trying to do their best, but sometimes you don’t get that value,” he said.

READ: AUS vs PAK: ‘Can’t Drop So Many Catches..’ – Akhtar Furious at Fielders, Chopra Launches ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ Dig

Shafique (64) and Imam-ul-Haq (70) put on a solid opening stand of 134 before leg-spinner Adam Zampa ran through the middle-order with figures of 4-53.

“Australia played very well,” said Shafique. “Our batting was also good, but in the middle overs we couldn’t finish well.”

Shafique hailed his team’s bowlers for restricting Australia in the final 10 overs, taking six wickets for just 70 runs.

Shaheen Shah Afridi finished with 5-54 — his second five-wicket haul in ODI cricket — while Haris Rauf took 3-83 after conceding 24 in his first over.

“As a bowling unit in the end, we bowled very well,” said Shafique.

“Hopefully we will learn from this and perform better in the next matches.”

Pakistan next face Afghanistan in Chennai on Monday.