plundering a weak Zimbabwe attack for an Australian Test record 380 at the same venue in 2003.
Although Warner fell shy of the overall ODI individual record, he passed the previous mark for the highest innings by an Australian at the WACA, which previously belonged to Damien Martyn for his 144 against Zimbabwe in 2001.
Warner and Steve Smith, who made 95, also set a new benchmark for an Australian partnership in ODI cricket with their 260-run second-wicket stand from 209 balls.
The pair passed the previous record of 252 set by Watson and Ricky Ponting against England in South Africa in 2009.
All-rounder Glenn Maxwell then chimed in with a quickfire 88 off 39 balls, including seven sixes, before being well caught at mid-off from the bowling of Dawlat Zadran (2-101) in the 48th over.
Australia face Sri Lanka at the SCG in their next match on Sunday, while things don’t get any easier for Afghanistan as they face unbeaten New Zealand on the same day at Napier in a bid to add to their lone win against Scotland.
Scre Board
Afghanistan won toss
Australia
D A Warner c Nabi b Shapoor 178
A J Finch c Nawroz b Dawlat 4
S P D Smith c Najibullah b Shapoor 95
G J Maxwell c Nabi b Dawlat 88
J P Faulkner b Hamid 7
M R Marsh c Najibullah b Nawroz 8
†B J Haddin not out 20
Extras (b 2, lb 5, w 7, nb 3) 17
Total (6 wickets; 50 overs) 417
Did not bat: *M J Clarke, M G Johnson, M A Starc, J R Hazlewood
Fall: 1-14, 2-274, 3-339, 4-382, 5-390, 6-417
Bowling: Dawlat 10-1-101-2 (2nb, 3w); Shapoor 10-0-89-2 (1nb, 2w); Hamid 10-0-70-1 (1w); Nabi 10-0-84-0 (1w); Samiullah 5-0-34-0; Javed 4-0-18-0; Nawroz 1-0-14-1
Afghanistan
Javed Ahmadi c Clarke b Hazlewood 13
Usman Ghani c Faulkner b Johnson 12
Nawroz Mangal c Finch b Johnson 33
Asghar Stanikzai c Smith b Johnson 4
Samiullah Shenwari c Johnson b Clarke 17
*M Nabi c Clarke b Maxwell 2
Najibullah b Starc 24
†Afsar Zazai c Haddin b Hazlewood 10
Dawlat Zadran b Starc 0
Hamid Hassan c Warner b Johnson 7
Shapoor Zadran not out 0
Extras (b 4, lb 5, w 10, nb 1) 20
Total (all out; 37.3 overs) 142
Fall: 1-30, 2-32, 3-46, 4-94, 5-94, 6-103, 7-131, 8-131, 9-140, 10-142
Bowling: Starc 6-0-18-2; Hazlewood 8-1-25-2 (3w); Johnson 7.3-0-22-4 (5w); Clarke 5-0-14-1; Marsh 3-0-25-0 (1w); Faulkner 4-0-8-0 (1nb, 1w); Maxwell 4-1-21-1
Result: Australia won by 275 runs
Points: Australia 2, Afghanistan 0
Man of the Match: D A Warner (Australia)
Umpires: H D P K Dharmasena (Sri Lanka) and M A Gough (England). TV umpire: B F Bowden (New Zealand). Match referee: R S Madugalle (Sri Lanka)