ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Day 3 Stats Wrap: Australia's rampant run, Martin Guptill-Colin Munro combo effect and much more

Day three of the Cricket World Cup 2019 played out another couple of one-sided matches. New Zealand crushed Sri Lanka without losing a single wicket in Cardiff on Saturday to begin their World Cup campaign in style after seamers Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson had skittled their opponents out for 136. The result cemented 2015 runners-up New Zealand’s status as the dark horses in the tournament and also highlighted why Sri Lanka, who have recorded just one ODI win in 2019, may struggle to qualify for the semi-finals. [caption id=“attachment_6742911” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Australian team in action against Afghanistan in 2019 World Cup. Reuters[/caption] While in the second match of the day, David Warner and Steve Smith returned to international cricket on Saturday to see Australia through to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in their World Cup opener at Bristol’s County Ground. Warner top-scored with an unbeaten 89 while Smith made 18 as Australia easily chased down a modest target after Afghanistan, who won the toss and elected to bat, were bowled out for 207. Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey completed five dismissals in the innings – one short of Australia’s World Cup record, set by Adam Gilchrist in 2003. This and all the other numbers from Day 3 of 2019 World Cup. - New Zealand became the first team to win three ODI WC matches with a margin of 10-wickets. - Dimuth Karunaratne became the second batsman to carry the bat in an ODI World Cup match. Ridley Jacobs carried the bat for West Indies against Australia at Old Trafford in 1999. He is the sixth batsman to carry a bat in both Tests and ODIs after Grant Flower, Saeed Anwar, Alec Stewart, Javed Omar and Tom Latham. - This was the fourth instance of both New Zealand openers (Guptill and Munro) scoring 50-plus runs in the same ODI WC match. They added 137 runs for the opening wicket and Martin Guptill now has been part of four of the seven opening century stands that NZ have in ICC Cricket World Cup matches. - New Zealand won the match with 203 balls remaining which is their third largest win in terms of balls remaining in ICC Cricket World Cup. Their biggest is 252 balls remaining against Kenya at Chennai in 2011. - Adam Zampa has now taken 21 wickets in ODIs in 2019 which is the most by any spinner. - Alex Carey affected five dismissals in the match against Afghanistan which is the joint second most for a keeper on WC debut. - David Warner completed his fifty in 74 balls today which is the slowest of his ODI career while Aaron Finch has now scored fifty-plus runs in five of his last six ODI knocks. - Australia have now won each of their last nine ODI matches. With inputs from Reuters For all the latest news, opinions and analysis from ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, click here