The team that’s hosting the game won the coin toss and chose to bat first against the Green Shirts in the first Test.
PERTH: Experienced opener David Warner scored a century without getting out, quieting his critics and helping Australia reach 210-2 by tea against Pakistan in the first Test in Perth.
During the break, the 37-year-old David Warner had a score of 111, and Steve Smith had not been dismissed, with a score of 21.
However, Pakistan’s bowlers did manage to achieve some success for their hard work in the intense heat. They got Usman Khawaja out shortly after lunch for 41 and Marnus Labuschagne for 16.
The team hosting the match won the coin toss and chose to bat first. David Warner, feeling the pressure, geared up to score runs with the emotional aim of bidding farewell to five-day cricket at the third Test in Sydney, especially in front of his hometown fans.
Before the event, ex-paceman Mitchell Johnson raised doubts about whether Warner deserved a grand farewell as a hero. This skepticism was based on Warner’s recent struggles in red-ball cricket and his connection to the ball-tampering scandal in 2018.
In his 110th Test match, the left-handed player responded in his usual bold and aggressive style, hitting 15 fours and a massive six in his 149-ball innings.
He confidently took a single off his first ball during the opening over bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi, which ended up giving away 14 runs. After that, he continued with his performance without any hesitation.
Despite facing some risky moments on a pitch with a lot of bounce, he eventually got comfortable and reached his half-century in just 41 balls, hitting a boundary off Faheem Ashraf.
His scoring pace slowed down after lunch as he approached his 26th Test century. He reached the three-figure mark from 125 balls, playing an uppercut boundary off debutant Aamer Jamal. He celebrated the achievement with his trademark leap and enjoyed the applause from the crowd.
Khawaja, showing support for the people of Gaza by wearing a black armband, was content to play a supporting role.
He had a significant stroke of luck at 25 when Abdullah Shafique dropped a catch, fumbling during a mis-hit pull shot.
However, he was dismissed when Pakistan’s bowlers improved their performance after lunch. He was caught behind by wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed off Afridi’s bowling.
Labuschagne seemed to be in good form, quickly reaching 16 runs when he got out lbw to a ball pitched up by Ashraf. He challenged the decision through a review, but the ball was confirmed to be hitting the leg stump squarely.
Smith confidently hit a four through midwicket with only his second ball, showing his determination, and he faced no difficulties afterward.
It’s worth noting that Pakistan has never won a Test series in Australia and hasn’t managed to win a Test match in the country since 1995.
Four years ago, in Australia, they lost both matches, and Warner scored 154 and 335 not out.
Australia only made one change from their last Test in July against England. Spinner Nathan Lyon is fit again and back in the team.
For Pakistan, new captain Shan Masood welcomed debutants pacemen Jamal and Khurram Shahzad.
Squads
Australia
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Pakistan
Shan Masood (capt), Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Aamer Jamal, Khurram Shahzad
