Smith has made 511 runs against Pakistan from eleven one dayers. Warner has already scored 679 one day runs against the same opponent from thirteen games.
Two of Australia’s most dynamic and revered run makers are yet to reach the confines of 1000 one day runs against an opponent that’s about as talented as it is unpredictable.
But speaking of unpredictable, Glenn Maxwell, known widely as a destroyer with the bat precisely failed with very recently versus the Proteas scoring three, however, emerging with a maiden over and two wickets from a quota of 10.
How big a role does he hold against Pakistan in today’s hopefully mega clash slated for the Chinnaswamy at Bangalore?
Who’s to know what may transpire on a cricket field, especially on the adventurous landscape of the one day World Cup? But here’s what’s known.
It’s not the legendary Smith or the inimitable Warner but the man nicknamed the “Big Show,” who holds the key to score against Pakistan.
In an age where stats have perhaps never been as important than they were, here’s Maxwell with no fewer than 735 ODI runs from 18 limited overs outings against Pakistan.
Surely, by now he’d have loved to have fired a century against this exceedingly competitive opponent, but the big hitting right hander’s game doesn’t let you down when you speak of the half centuries’ department.
So what’s happening there?
Of the 23 ODI fifties that Maxwell has stroked as on date, 7, lest it is forgotten, have come against Pakistan, a World Cup-winning side.
Not too bad perhaps for a batsman who primarily comes into bat when either half the overs or just about a few are left in the tank for a burly line up, right?
Having said that, here’s another fact that may only further Australia’s confidence heading into the big World Cup clash where both teams stand a lot to gain and lose.
Up to this point, the player associated with RCB, about to play at RCB’s home venue, hasn’t ever been dismissed for a duck against Pakistan in a one dayer.
Not that it’s a record that Cummins would like to see broken but certainly one that the trio of Shadab, Afridi and Haris would like to play a hand in.
But let’s distance ourselves from the figures and what the what might. There’s something that the five time ODI World Cup winners would definitely like to achieve in the all important October 20 clash.
And it’s to amass a tall order of runs having been found wanted against sub continental sides such as India, as seen in the earlier days of the ongoing World Cup.
That 199 as a team total was in no way a sign of strength but ever an indication of batting weaknesses. Not that Smith and Warner didn’t try back then. Not that Labuschagne won’t be around today as he was in that grinding show that could only culminate in 27.
But Glenn Maxwell will have his part to play against a formidable Pakistan bowling line up led by Afridi, who’ll only try to come harder having not yet wrecked havoc.
On his part, the 35-year-old Maxwell has to- and must- come good. He made 15 versus India, 3 versus South Africa and later, an unbeaten 31 against the Lankans. And that’s that.
The big strokes of the big show haven’t been found as of yet.
Could this be the day? Will this be the day where they’ll say that the man from Kew simply blew the Pakistan side away?
We’ve got a big one on our hands. Let’s go.