Ejaz Ahmed and Yousuf Yohanna struck timely centuries to guide Pakistan to a imposing 315-8 in 50 overs but their bowlers failed to defend the total. India set the previous world record by chasing 315 against Pakistan in Dhaka in January. Australia became only the third team to chase 300 or more runs in a one-day match. Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by chasing 313 in the 1992 world cup.

Australia were on song even though they lost Mark Waugh at 25. Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting made batting look too easy, putting on 193 runs, a record for any wicket in a Pakistan-Australia one-day game, off 177 balls for the second wicket.

Western Australian vice captain, Gilchrist, 27 in four days, stroked his third century in one-day matches in exactly 100 balls with 12 fours, some of them delightful to watch. The 28-year-old Tasmanian, Ponting matched his partner stroke for stroke to complete his fifth one-day ton off 109 balls hitting nine fours.

``Its a fantastic win and chasing 316 was not that easy, Ponting and Gilchrist made that look easy,'' Australian captain Steve Waugh said. Australia were well placed at 168-1 midway through their innings. Gilchrist was finally stumped by Moin Khan off Aamir Sohail. Moin earlier fumbled with the ball when Gilchrist was 83 off Sohail. Darren Lehmann fell after making eight but Steve Waugh (30) added another 69 runs with Ponting to take Australia in sight of the win.

Pakistan owe their total to a fourth wicket stand between Ejaz and Yohanna who put on a precious 162 runs off 167 balls. Ejaz reached his run-a-ball century with a single off Mark Waugh. His eighth one-day hundred in his 213th match was spiced with 11 fours and a six. Yohanna was the more aggressive of the two, reaching his maiden limited over ton off 109 balls hitting 14 forceful fours.

Steve Waugh used eight bowlers to dismiss the partnership and it was Darren Lehmann who bowled Ejaz with his second ball. Ejaz's 111 off 109 balls is the highest individual scorer in a one-day by a Pakistani against Australia surpassing Zaheer Abbas's 109 in Lahore in 1982-83. Pakistan's previous highest one-day total against Australia was 286-7 at Trent Bridge in the 1979 world cup.