In the second one-day International against South Africa at the Mangaung Oval on Saturday, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne both notched up centuries, leading Australia to a resounding 123-run victory.
After achieving two consecutive victories, Australia has recovered the top spot in the ICC ODI team rankings under the leadership of Pat Cummins. They presently sit comfortably at the head with a rating of 121, closely pursued by Pakistan, who hold the second spot with a rating of 120. India rounds out the top three with a rating of 114.
It’s worth recalling that Pakistan had temporarily displaced Australia from the top rank back in August, following their spectacular 3-0 whitewash of Afghanistan. Under the captaincy of Babar Azam, Pakistan has maintained an unblemished record in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023. They ended at the peak of Group A, gaining three points from two matches. Furthermore, they continue to lead the Super 4s stage after a convincing victory over Bangladesh in their opening game.
Meanwhile, Australia displayed their batting power in Bloemfontein, as openers David Warner and Travis Head created a strong partnership of 109 runs off just 71 balls. Adding to the show, Marnus Labuschagne, batting at number four, added to a momentous 151-run partnership with Warner. Warner, in hitting a century, inscribed his name in the record books by becoming the opener with the most international hundreds, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of 45 centuries.
On the other side, Labuschagne continued his outstanding form and collected his second consecutive Player of the Match award in the series. In the first game, he played a superb innings of 80* (93), guiding Australia to a thrilling three-wicket victory.
Despite not being named for Australia’s World Cup squad, the 29-year-old Labuschagne is making a convincing case with his bat. In the ongoing series, he has amassed 204 runs from two innings at an amazing average of 204. His remarkable efforts are putting him firmly in contention for selection ahead of the forthcoming mega event.
