Australia's 34-match streak finally halted

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 innings
S. Watson b Umar Gul                          9
B. Haddin c Kamran Akmal b Wahab Riaz        42
R. Ponting c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Hafeez  19
M. Clarke b Abdul Razzaq                     34
C. White run out                              8
M. Hussey c Misbah-ul-Haq b Abdur Rehman     12
S. Smith b Shahid Afridi                     25
M. Johnson c Kamran Akmal b Abdul Razzaq      0
B. Krejza b Umar Gul                          7
B. Lee c Misbah-ul-Haq b Umar Gul             5
S. Tait not out                               0
Extras: (lb-5 w-10)                          15
Total: (all out; 46.4 overs)                176
Fall of wickets: 1-12 2-75 3-90 4-117 5-134 6-144 7-147
8-169 9-176
Bowling: Umar Gul 7.4-1-30-3 (1w), Abdur Rehman 10-0-34-1
(1w), Shahid Afridi 9-0-34-1 (1w), Wahab Riaz 6-0-39-1 (3w),
Mohammad Hafeez 10-0-26-1, Abdul Razzaq 4-0-8-2.

Pakistan innings
Kamran Akmal  lbw b Lee                      23
Mohammad Hafeez  c and b Lee                  5
Asad Shafiq c Watson b Johnson               46
Younus Khan  c Haddin b Lee                  31
Misbah-ul-Haq c Haddin b Lee                  0
Umar Akmal not out                           44
Shahid Afridi c Lee b Krejza                  2
Abdul Razzaq not out                         20
Extras (b-2 lb-1 w-4)                         7
Total (six wickets, 41 overs)               178
Did not bat: Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz
Fall of wickets: 1-12 2-45 3-98 4-98 5-139 6-142
Bowling: Lee 8-1-28-4, Tait 8-1-37-0 (3w), Johnson 9-1-40-1
(1w), Watson 6-0-26-0, Krejza 10-0-44-1
Result: Pakistan won by four wickets
Australia won the toss and elected to bat.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.