In his last Test series, David Warner dominated the first session of the first Test against Pakistan, at Perth.
By Lunch on Day 1 at the Perth Stadium, David Warner and Usman Khawaja remained unbeaten, taking Australia’s score to 117/0 in 25 overs, with the Pakistani bowling attack, which included two debutants in Khurram Shahzad and Aamer Jamal, looking very toothless. Even Shaheen Afridi was treated like a schoolboy by Warner with his amazing lap shot sixer.
In the 22nd overs of Australia’s innings, as David Warner and Usman Khawaja looked solid, the Pakistani captain Shan Masood brought back Shaheen Afridi to give him a breakthrough despite the left-arm pacer already having bowled about one-third of all overs till then.
Warner hit the only six of the first session. And it was an incredible lap or scoop shot for a six over fine leg, which sent the commentators and the 11,000-crowd at the stadium screaming in amazement.
David Warner picked up a length ball from just outside the off-stump, bent low, and scooped it over fine leg. Shaheen Afridi looked fazed by this shot and started walking back to his marker, knowing there isn’t really anything he could do when Warner is on song. This was a similar shot to what Warner played to Haris Rauf during the World Cup 2023 in their match in Bangalore.
Such incredible the shot was, it led to commentator Isa Guha going, “Oh wow. Where did that come from!”. Her co-commentator quipped: “It’s not T20 cricket, is it?”
Watch: David Warner hits the shot of the first day of first Test to Shaheen Afridi
WHAT A SHOT, WARNER. 🔥💪pic.twitter.com/uhEbebNwP0
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 14, 2023
This 3-Test series is the retirement series of Warner, who has played 109 Tests before this one.
Teams:
Pakistan (Playing XI): Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood(c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed(w), Agha Salman, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Aamer Jamal, Khurram Shahzad
Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
