Image Credit- AP
While veteran opener David Warner is preparing for his
final series in the longest format, Pakistan’s speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi
has sent Australia an early warning. Warner, the top run scorer for Australia
in the One Day International (ODI) World Cup in India, was included in the Test
squad for the first game of the series against Pakistan. It’s interesting to
note that the 37-year-old is only selected for Perth’s opening Test match.
Warner has the opportunity to hold onto his spot for a
tearful farewell at the storied Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) if he succeeds
in living up to the selectors’ expectations in the opening Test. Australia’s
Boxing Day Test match against Pakistan, their visiting team, will take place in
Sydney. Fast bowler Afridi stated he is hoping to ruin Warner’s farewell series
when discussing Warner’s series against Pakistan.
“We would wish him good luck but we are not
hoping for a good end for David Warner in his last Test series against
us,” Afridi stated to Geo News. Following his outstanding triple century
against Pakistan in Adelaide, Warner’s average in Test matches has been a mere
28. Warner had been candid about saying goodbye to Sydney Test cricket.
Visitors Pakistan will meet hosts Australia in the 1st
Test on December 14. “This is an important series for Pakistan as we are
leading the World Test Championship’s point table at the moment. We don’t have
much experience of Canberra, but I am sure this four-day match against PM XI
will help us prepare well for the series against the home team starting from
Perth,” Afridi added. Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed
Afridi as the leader of the T20I side. Batter Shan Masood will lead Babar Azam-starrer
Pakistan in the Australia Test series.