Pakistan’s fielding performance was unsatisfactory on Day 1 of the first Test match against Australia, as they dropped many catches.
On Day 1 of the first Test match against Australia in Perth on Thursday, Pakistan fielded poorly, dropping many catches. Warner was dropped by Khurram Shahzad shortly after completing his century, and he even survived a stumping opportunity when Sarfaraz Khan failed to properly gather the ball. However, one blunder that drew a lot of attention online was Abdullah Shafique’s failure to dismiss Usman Khawaja from an absolute sitter. Shafique totally misread the catch, and the ball rolled to the boundary for a four.
Social media users quickly responded with amusing reactions to the entire scenario.
Can someone please inform Abdullah Shafique that sun glasses should not be worn at the rear of the cap in the #AUSvsPAK photo?twitter.com/mHwcm2JEN0
—TazzSatti (@TazzSatti) 14th of December, 2023
Pakistan have never won a Test series in Australia and have not won a Test in the country since 1995, therefore Shan Masood’s side faces another difficult job.
Their bowlers displayed flashes of brilliance and were rewarded with the dismissals of Usman Khawaja (41), Marnus Labuschagne (16), Steve Smith (31) and Travis Head (40).
But, until Jamal came up, they had no response for Warner’s near-flawless 211-ball innings, in which he hit 16 fours and four sixes.
His stated purpose was to pad up under pressure to score runs with an emotional goodbye from Test cricket at the third Test in Sydney in front of his hometown crowd.
Former Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson questioned if Warner deserved a hero’s send-off considering his recent poor red-ball play and role in the 2018 ball-tampering incident in the build-up.
In his 110th Test, with his back to the wall, Warner reacted in classic swashbuckling form.
“People make remarks, but you get one in return.” You have to just go out there and score runs and today I did that,” said Warner. “I don’t feel any additional pressure, or any other points I need to prove.”
“It’s okay if people are out to get you or make a headline out of your name. I can’t be concerned with that; I have to be concerned with what I do for the team.”
Warner took a confident single off his first delivery in an opening over from Shaheen Shah Afridi that yielded 14 runs after Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat.
On a bouncer, he quickly calmed in, bringing up his half-century off 41 balls with a boundary from Faheem Ashraf.
After lunch, his strike rate decreased as he approached his 26th Test century, reaching three figures with an uppercut boundary off Jamal, celebrating with his customary leap and putting his finger to his mouth.
“It was a nice, little quiet shush,” Warner added, alluding to the criticism.
It was his first century since a valiant 200 against South Africa a year ago at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
