Josh Inglis played the innings of his life, smashing his maiden ODI century (120 not out) to overshadow Ben Duckett’s 165, as world champions Australia pulled off a record chase to beat England by five wickets in their Champions Trophy Group B opener in Lahore on Saturday.
The five-wicket win marked the highest-ever successful chase by any team at an ICC white-ball tournament, the previous best being Pakistan’s 345 against Sri Lanka at the 2023 men’s World Cup.
Australia had slipped to 136/4 in the 23rd over but a 146-run stand for the fifth wicket between Alex Carey (69) and Inglis revived their chances.
On a flat Gaddafi pitch with a lightning-quick outfield, no target was safe as two-time champions Australia cruised home in 47.3 overs.
Inglis tore into England’s attack, hammering six sixes and eight fours in an 86-ball 120 not out.
Earlier, Duckett’s magnificent career-best 165 powered England to 351/8.
The 30-year-old Duckett, who was benched during England’s disastrous T20 World Cup campaign last year, grabbed his moment on the big stage, hitting 17 boundaries and three sixes during his 143-ball knock to lead his side to their highest-ever total in the Champions Trophy.
England, after being sent in to bat, were in early trouble at 43/2 inside the Powerplay overs, but Duckett stood tall, first stitching a 158-run stand with Joe Root (68) and later forging a crucial 61-run partnership with skipper Jos Buttler (23 off 21 balls).
After his dismissal in the 48th over, Jofra Archer smashed two fours and one six in his 10-ball 21 not out to prop up the total past 350-mark.
Duckett’s innings was meticulously planned, blending patience with aggression.
He started confidently, taking on Glenn Maxwell with a charge-down six in just the second over, setting the tone for England’s recovery.
Duckett brought up his century off 95 balls.
Anthem fiasco
Left red-faced after India’s national anthem was played for a fraction of a second at
the start of the Australia-England match here on Saturday, the Pakistan Cricket Board has blamed the ICC for the fiasco and demanded an explanation from the world body.
At the start of the game when the two teams lined up for their national anthems, the spectators were left surprised as the Indian national anthem played for a second before being stopped.
