David Warner signed off from Test cricket on a high after Australia beat Pakistan by 8 wickets in the third and final Test on Saturday, January 6 at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground.
Australia vs Pakistan, 3rd Test scorecard
With the win, Australia secured their 17th Test win in a row against Pakistan on home soil. Chasing a target of 130, the hosts romped home in the second session of play on Day 4 at the SCG.
Sajid Khan gave Pakistan a glimmer of hope after he dismissed Usman Khawaja LBW for a duck in the first over of Australia’s run-chase. But Warner and Marnus Labuschagne made sure that the home team did not suffer many more hiccups.
Warner looked fluent in his last Test innings as he got to his half-century off 56 balls. The southpaw scored 57 runs off 75 balls before Sajid Khan got his wicket. Warner finished his Test career with 8786 runs at an average of 44.59.
Labuschagne also looked solid as he brought up his fifty off 64 balls. The duo put on a partnership of 119 runs to take Australia past the finish line, comfortably.
Hazlewood, Lyon rip Pakistan
When it seemed that Pakistan gained an advantage with a first-innings lead of 14 runs, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon came to the party for Australia. In the third session of Day 3, Hazlewood picked up four wickets and reduced Pakistan to 68 for 7.
Mohammad Rizwan and Aamer Jamal built a partnership of 42 runs for the eighth wicket, but their resistance could not last long. Lyon dismissed Rizwan, who scored 28 off 57, to give Australia their first wicket of the day.
In the very next over, Pat Cummins got the better of Jamal, who played a patient knock of 18 off 47. Lyon cleaned up Hasan Ali to bring the curtains down on the Pakistan innings.
Pakistan were bowled out for 115 in 43.1 overs, thereby giving Australia a paltry target to chase down.
Pakistan had their chances to dictate terms to the opposition throughout the series, but Australia showed why they are deemed a brute force in Tests, especially at home.