Australia Vs Pakistan, 2nd Test: Sloppy Abdullah Shafique Drops A Sitter, Helps David Warner Achieve Massive Cricket Feat On Boxing Day - Watch

Post the drop, southpaw David Warner went on to score 38 runs off 83 balls earlier in the day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Outlook Sports Desk

Updated on: 26 December 2023 11:02 am

Shaheen Afridi (left) reacts post the drop catch of David Warner in the 2nd Test

A rain interruption on Tuesday (December 26) interrupted an engrossing opening day action of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Hosts Australia were 114/2 in 42.4 overs with Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith unbeaten when the teams were forced to take early tea. But the day belonged to opener David Warner, who was dropped by Abdullah Shafique early in the morning. (PAK Vs AUS, 2nd Test Scorecard | Cricket News)

Warner, now a 111-Test veteran and appearing in his farewell Test series, made a watchful 38 off 83 balls. In the process, the 37-year-old became the second most-prolific run-scorer in international cricket for Australia, only behind imperious Ricky Ponting. But the left-handed opener from Paddington in New South Wales got a reprieve when he was batting on 2 with Pakistan's Shafique lending a hand, a rather slippery one in that, no pun intended.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and elected to bowl first in overcast conditions, and unleased a four-man pace attack featuring Shaheen Afridi, Mir Hamza, Hasan Ali and Aamer Jamal. In the third over, Afridi managed to induce an edge and the ball flew to the first slip. But Shafique, probably anticipating the big catch, palmed the ball instead of holding onto it.

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Watch how it unfolded here:

David Warner gets a life on two! Shaheen Afridi gets the ball swinging and Abdullah Shafique puts it down at first slip #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/EJc4AptxJk
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 25, 2023

Warner survived, and made history. And don't miss that Afridi reaction.

Warner, however, failed to make the most out of the opportunity and departed in the 28th over, becoming a victim of Pakistan's lone specialist spinner, Agha Salman. With the off-spinner managing just enough spin, the ball beat a driving Warner and took a thick outside edge. Babar Azam, at first slip, took a clean catch.

During his stay in the middle, Warner made 38 runs with the help of three boundaries off 83 balls. He now has now 18515 runs in 371 international matches, and is only behind Ricky Ponting, who scored 27,368 runs in 559 (1995 to 2012). Warner overtook Steve Waugh, another legendary Aussie cricketer and former captain. Waugh scored 18496 runs in 493 matches (1985-2004).