David Warner in his farewell Test at the SCG

2024.01.02

Australia has already clinched the three-test series with victories in Perth and Melbourne.

There was always going to be a build-up to the third test between Australia and Pakistan at Sydney Cricket Ground, home of David Warner, with the opening batsman playing his last test in the conventional style of the game.

Warner has contributed to the build-up to what is essentially a game in which Australia has already secured the three-test series with wins in Perth and Melbourne. The last time Pakistan defeated Australia in a test match at the SCG was in 1985, so the visitor still has something to aim for.

At a press conference on New Year’s Day, Warner declared that One-Day Internationals will now be included on his retirement list. However, in true Warner manner, he declared that if requested, he will return for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

After Australia’s recent World Cup victory in India, when he led the winning side in runs scored, he stated that the time had come to call it a day for his ODI career to end.

Warner will play for Australia in the Twenty20 World Cup, at least until the competition takes place in the United States and the Caribbean in June.

Match Lineup

Australia: Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins (captain), and Usman Khawaja.

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Hasan Ali, Ali Hamza, Amer Jamal, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), and Babar Azam

Australia lost two early games in the group stage of the World Cup, denting its title hopes, but Warner said it helped inspire the squad.

“The bond just got stronger with each other and it’s not by fluke or by chance that we were able to get to where we were,” he said.

Warner has amassed 8,695 runs at an average of 44.58 in 111 test matches, with 26 centuries and a career-high 335 not out against Pakistan in 2019.

Warner, a two-time World Cup champion and the sixth-highest run scorer in Australian ODI history with 6,932 runs from 161 appearances, is retiring from the 50-over game. With 105 more innings played than Warner, Ricky Ponting has scored 29 ODI centuries, making his 22 the highest of any Australian player.

@ D Manjuna