Nathan Lyon, the Australia off-spinner, said the national selectors would have a “great problem” in picking the squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 after his side beat Pakistan emphatically in the second one-day international in Sharjah.
The eight-wicket victory on Sunday, 24 March, gave Australia a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, and pleasingly for the visitors, their players are hitting form at the right time. The architect of the win was a resurgent Aaron Finch, the captain, who recorded a second consecutive century to take Australia past the finish-line with 2.1 overs to spare. Usman Khawaja, his opening partner, was excellent in the supporting role, adding a 109-ball 88 in a first-wicket stand of 209.
Elsewhere, David Warner, whose one-year suspension lapses on 29 March, lit up the Indian Premier League with a 53-ball 85 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. And it all meant Lyon was beaming with confidence. “I was just told that Dave scored 85,” he said. “I really hope he has a fantastic IPL.
