In a poignant moment at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), David Warner, the veteran Australian opener, stepped onto the field for his final Test match. The occasion was marked with a touching gesture as the Pakistani team, led by captain Shan Masood, accorded Warner a guard of honor. The Australian batsman, who is retiring from Test cricket, expressed gratitude to Masood and the Pakistani players for the respectful gesture before taking his position at the crease alongside his childhood batting partner, Usman Khawaja.

Before venturing onto the outfield, Warner paid homage to the late Phillip Hughes by touching his mural in the dressing room. The atmosphere was charged with emotion as the veteran cricketer embarked on his last innings in Test cricket.

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Captured and shared by Cricket.com.au on social media, the moment was captioned, “Respect! A guard of honour for the retiring David Warner.”

Respect!

A guard of honour for the retiring David Warner #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/e1vCaN07Jb

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 3, 2024

As Warner faced the Pakistani bowlers, it was evident that his aggressive style remained intact. In the final over of the day, with Pakistan captain Shan Masood entrusting the ball to off-spinner Sajid Khan, Warner unleashed a trademark shot through the off side, setting the tone for his farewell innings.

The over included a close call, where Warner survived a delivery that bounced just above the stumps after hitting the ground, leaving the Pakistani fielders in disbelief. While Warner bid farewell to Test cricket, the Pakistani team faced a challenging start in the third and final Test. Opting to bat first, they lost both openers, Abdullah Shafique and debutant Saim Ayub, for ducks within the first two overs.

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Despite Mohammad Rizwan’s resilient innings of 88 runs, and Aamer Jamal’s impactful partnership with Mir Hamza, the visitors stumbled to 227/9 in 55 overs. The innings was marked by Mitchell Marsh’s breakthroughs and a commendable performance from Nathan Lyon. In a match already steeped in significance, Warner’s retirement and the guard of honor set the stage for a memorable contest between Australia and Pakistan at the SCG.