It wasn’t fairly a fairytale end for David Warner, nevertheless it was very shut as he scored 57 to assist lead Australia to an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in his ultimate Take a look at match, ending a 112-Take a look at profession as a winner on his dwelling floor.
With Australia needing solely 11 runs to say its third consecutive victory within the three-Take a look at collection, and with an opportunity to attain the profitable runs, Warner was out lbw off the bowling of Sajid Khan. He walked off the Sydney Cricket Floor to a standing ovation as he waved to the gang.
As he headed to the altering rooms, he was embraced by his former Take a look at captain Steve Smith. Warner handed his Australia batting helmet and gloves to a younger fan on the gamers’ gate and walked off into retirement
“It’s pretty much a dream come true,” Warner stated in a post-game TV interview, after strolling again onto the sphere, with a pink stump in his hand and a tattered unique saggy inexperienced cap on his head, alongside a line of teammates and Pakistan gamers shaking arms and hugging.
“Win 3-0 and cap off what’s been a great 18 months for the Australian cricket team: World Test Championship win, Ashes series, the World Cup and then we come here and win 3-0. I’m just proud to be here with a bunch of great cricketers.”
Pakistan captain Shan Masood introduced Warner with considered one of Babar Azam’s shirts signed by the touring crew as a gesture of congratulations.
Australia captain Pat Cummins, voted participant of the collection after taking 19 wickets – together with three consecutive five-wicket hauls – stated it’ll be laborious to switch Warner.
“He’s basically played every game for the last dozen years. He’s a huge personality. He really sets the game up with the game he plays,” Cummins stated. “We’ll enjoy the next couple of days while we’ve still got him around.”
Warner had nominated the SCG Take a look at as his final earlier than retirement as quickly as Australia’s summer time schedule was finalized, earlier than he was assured a spot within the beginning XI.
It generated loads of conjecture about his type forward of the collection however selectors caught with the veteran and he delivered in opposition to Pakistan, opening the collection with an enormous century – the one hundred of the collection – and tallying 299 runs at a mean of fifty.
Warner performed his first Take a look at in 2011, in opposition to New Zealand, shrugging off hypothesis he was solely suited to the limited-overs variations of the sport. He additionally overcame the notorious “sandpapergate” scandal in South Africa in 2018 that resulted in him being barred from representing Australia for a yr, returning to the nationwide crew in August 2019.
Warner maintained his attacking model all through his profession in all codecs of the sport, and completed with 8,796 Take a look at runs at a mean of 44.59.
The one different wicket to fall in Australia’s second innings Saturday was when opener Usman Khawaja was additionally adjudged lbw off Khan’s bowling for a six-ball duck.
Pakistan scored 313 and 115 and Australia responded with 299 and 130-2. Marnus Labuschagne scored 62 and was on the crease with Smith (4) when the match ended.
Warner’s half-century got here off 75 balls and included seven boundaries, setting the tone from the third ball he confronted by strolling down the wicket on the bowler. He twice reverse-swept to the boundary.
Warner had reprieves on 16 – when he virtually chopped on to his stumps – and 25, when Aamir Jamal dropped a troublesome probability at mid off. He additionally survived a really shut lbw enchantment on 53.
Every little thing went to plan for Australia on Saturday. The bowlers shortly took Pakistan’s three remaining wickets to start out Day 4 and set a 130-run victory goal.
After Josh Hazlewood (4-16) ran by way of Pakistan on Day 3, the guests provided little additional resistance. Mohammad Rizwan (28) and Jamal (18) placed on 42 for the eighth wicket, however Pakistan folded shortly as soon as Nathan Lyon had Rizwan caught at leg slip.
Lyon additionally bowled Hasan Ali to finish the innings, ending with figures of 3-36.
Australia received the primary Take a look at in Perth by 360 runs and the second by 79 runs on the Melbourne Cricket Floor.
Jamal was voted participant of the match for his six-wicket haul and defiant 82 within the first innings, a efficiency nominated as one Pakistan’s highlights of the collection by skipper Masood.
“We’re learning things the hard way but we have to look at the positives,” he stated, including that his group had gained loads of expertise for the subsequent Take a look at collection.
“Putting a good score on the board but again missing a few chances. It’s a bit of deja vu since Melbourne.”