Australia vs Pakistan Prediction: Australia will be on a high with an astounding win over Sri Lanka and will be looking for a second consecutive victory in the tournament

Australia and Pakistan are going head to head in the 18th game of the ICC World Cup 2023 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru Urban, India on 20th October. Australia will be on a high with an astounding win over Sri Lanka and will be looking for a second consecutive victory in the tournament. Who will win this game?

Australia form

Australia's journey in this tournament started with losses to India and South Africa, but they managed to secure their first victory by defeating Sri Lanka. Their quest for a historic sixth Cricket World Cup title may have had a rocky beginning, but a second consecutive win, this time against Pakistan, could help put them back on track.

Before their match against Sri Lanka, Australia had only managed to score below 200 runs in two previous games. They were able to chase down a modest total of 210 to win against Sri Lanka. Notably, only one of their batsmen, Marnus Labuschagne, has accumulated 100 runs or more in three innings during this tournament. David Warner has an average of 21.66, and Steven Smith was dismissed without scoring in the previous match.

Despite concerns about their batting lineup, Australia's bowling department has shown considerable strength this season. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa delivered a standout performance, taking four wickets and earning the Player of the Match award in the game against Sri Lanka. In the upcoming match, Zampa, along with Glenn Maxwell, is expected to be the primary slow bowler for the Australian team.

The seam bowling combination of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood has proven to be a reliable asset, sharing nine wickets in this tournament. They may take advantage of favourable conditions in Bengaluru. Marcus Stoinis is likely to be preferred over fellow all-rounder Cameron Green once again, and Josh Inglis is expected to retain his position as the wicketkeeper-batsman ahead of Alex Carey. matches, including two centuries out of these five half-centuries. He has once again begun the World Cup in impressive form. In a recent match at this stadium, English bowler Reece Topley claimed four wickets while dismantling the Bangladesh batting order. South Africa possesses a similar bowler in the form of Marco Jansen, a tall left-arm swing bowler who is likely to pose challenges for the Dutch batsmen on this pitch.

Australia Predicted Lineup

David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood

Pakistan form

Pakistan made a strong start to their World Cup campaign with victories against Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. However, their momentum was halted with a defeat against India. They face the challenge of meeting high expectations while also grappling with a history of occasional disappointments, particularly in crucial matches against their longstanding rivals.

In the Indian leg of the tournament, Hasan Ali has emerged as Pakistan's primary wicket-taker. Initially brought in as a replacement for the injured Naseem Shah, Ali has swiftly become a crucial member of the starting lineup. He has an impressive record of taking seven wickets in just three matches in this ODI competition, a commendable feat.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan is expected to play a pivotal role in Pakistan's batting efforts. He currently holds the title of the leading run-scorer in the tournament, amassing 248 runs in three innings, with scores of 68, an unbeaten 131, and 49. Rizwan had also showcased his century-hitting prowess in a warm-up match against New Zealand.

Team director Mickey Arthur has emphasized the need for Pakistan to adopt a more assertive approach with the bat. It is likely that we will witness a corrected, more aggressive strategy, either in part or as a whole, especially in the upcoming match against Australia. With the presence of Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq, fulfilling this request from Arthur should not be too challenging.

Pakistan Predicted Lineup

Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi

Expert betting tips

In the first 14 matches of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, the captain who won the toss chose to field first in 10 of them. The M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where this match is set to take place, has seen a balanced record in the last 10 ODIs, with five wins for the team batting first and five for the team chasing a target.

It is highly probable that the team winning the toss in this match will opt to bowl first. This aligns with the prevailing trend in this tournament, where teams prefer to set a target early and then pursue it. This choice is not purely arbitrary but is influenced by the general pattern and the conditions at play.

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for its high-scoring matches. In recent ODI innings at this venue, we witnessed scores of 383, 334, and 286. Notably, this ground was the setting for Rohit Sharma's ODI double-century against Australia in 2013.

Players like Glenn Maxwell and Josh Hazlewood are familiar with the ground due to their involvement with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, which calls the M Chinnaswamy Stadium home.

Australia and Pakistan have not competed in an ODI at this venue since 2020 and 1999, respectively. The Aussies have won three of their last five ODIs here, but two of those wins were against smaller teams like Canada and Kenya.

Like most grounds used in this World Cup, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is conducive to spin bowling. It's advisable to have at least two specialist spinners in the lineup, with one potentially even opening the bowling or operating during the powerplay.

Regarding the weather, there is minimal or no rain anticipated in the days leading up to the match and on the match day itself. As is typical in Bengaluru, the temperatures and humidity levels are expected to be relatively high.

Australia seems to carry more momentum into this game, with a recent victory over Sri Lanka, while Pakistan experienced a defeat against India. The contest between Australia's batsmen and Pakistan's bowlers is likely to be a key factor, alongside the toss and playing conditions.

Considering these factors, we anticipate Australia to emerge as the victors in this match.