During their ongoing tour of Australia, the Pakistan cricket team displayed a touching gesture on Day 1 of the New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). As Australian opener David Warner prepared to bat towards the end of the day's play, Shan Masood and his team formed a guard of honour, showcasing their respect for the veteran player.
The Pakistani players, already present at the venue, paid tribute to Warner's illustrious career by giving him a guard of honour. Despite the crowd at his home ground rising to applaud him, Warner, visibly emotional, took a moment to absorb the atmosphere before stepping onto the field for one of the final innings of his Test career.
Adding to the sentimental moments, Warner and Usman Khawaja, longtime friends from age-group cricket, shared a warm hug before beginning their innings. However, their time on the field was short-lived, surviving just one over before Stumps were called on Day 1.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan, led by Shan Masood, won the toss and opted to bat, posting a total of 313 despite a lackluster performance from their top-order. In a unique move, Pakistan chose to open the bowling with off-spinner Sajid Khan. The day's play concluded with only 78.1 overs being bowled.
In his final Test appearance, Warner made an impact by hitting a boundary and finishing the day unbeaten on 6. The Australian cricketer had recently announced his ODI retirement during a press conference in Sydney on New Year's Day.
