Legendary all-rounder says he will reserve judgment on Pakistan’s performance
Former captain Shahid Afridi has expressed his displeasure with the Green Shirts after Australia whitewashed Pakistan in the Test series for the seventh time.
The Shan Masood-led unit suffered a 3-0 whitewash at the hands of the Kangaroos in the red-ball matches and Pakistan’s losing streak in Australia now stood at 17 Tests.
Hinting at his extreme dissatisfaction, the legendary all-rounder addressed X and said that he will “reserve judgment” on Pakistan’s performance.
However, he praised right-arm pacer Aamer Jamal and declared him “an excellent addition to the team”.
“Congratulations to Australia for a dominant win, I’m all for the never-give-up mentality,” she added.
He also congratulated David Warner on his incredible career and conveyed his best wishes for his future.
Match summary
David Warner made a crucial 57 runs in his farewell Test innings to chase down Pakistan’s 130-run set for Australia’s victory that also ensured the hosts cleanly swept the series 3-0 on Saturday.
The Australians beat the visitors by eight wickets in the final innings, ending the latter’s hopes of ending a run of 16 consecutive defeats in Australia since 1995.
Pakistan could add just 47 runs to their overnight tally at the cost of the last three wickets, which will be dismissed for 115 an hour before lunch.
Playing his 112th match before retiring from the format, Warner shared a hug with his opening partner and childhood friend Usman Khawaja on the boundary rope and was given a guard of honor by the tourists as he reached the box.
Khawaja departed lbw for a duck in the opening opener, but Warner played like a man on a mission and was soon cutting the ball through the sheets with the trademark style of his front four.
He reached his 37th Test half-century with a single to square, and Australia went to lunch with victory almost in the bag at 91-1, 39 runs short of their target.
There were seven boundaries and a couple more chances in Warner’s 75-ball innings before spinner Sajid Khan caught him in front with Australia 11 runs away from victory with a day to spare.
A crowd of more than 22,000 at his home Sydney Cricket Ground rose to a final ovation as Warner walked off the field, his involvement in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal that earned him a one-year ban from international cricket. forgiven
Warner’s innings gave him a total of 8,786 runs in 112 Tests at an average of 44.59 with 26 centuries since his debut against New Zealand in 2011.
Marnus Labuschagne (62 not out) got the hosts over the line with a single soon after Warner’s departure.
As in the second Test in Melbourne, Pakistan had only their own batting weaknesses to blame for missing out on breaking their long losing streak in Australia.
They looked good to set their hosts a much more imposing target on a deteriorating pitch before Josh Hazlewood (4-16) took three wickets in the penultimate over of the day on Friday.
On Saturday morning, Mohammad Rizwan scored 28 before Warner caught him bowling Nathan Lyon and Aamer Jamal made 18 three balls later. Hasan Ali was bowled by Lyon for five innings to end the innings.
Seamer Jamal, who took a six-wicket haul on debut in the first Test in Perth and another in the first innings in Sydney, was not brought in to bowl until after lunch in a baffling decision by captain Shan Masood.
