David Warner signs off scintillating Test career with fairytale finish

Sydney: It was a fairytale finish for David Warner, as the retiring opener showed his class one last time with a match-winning fifty in his farewell Test and Australia bagged yet another win at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Pakistan had their moments, but Australia showed their class as they swept the series 3-0.

There was never a dull moment when Warner took to the field. He finished his Test career as Australia’s fifth-leading run-scorer in the format.

Warner hit 57 off 75 balls until his fairy-tale last innings came to an end just after midday on day four, leaving Australia 11 runs short of victory. As Warner went off to handshakes with the Pakistan squad and then waved his bat to a boisterous applause from the fans, he was ruled out lbw to offspinner Sajid Khan on review.

Marnus Labuschagne finished unbeaten on 62 from 73 balls as Australia cruised to a 130-run target on a dry track that played games with inconsistent bounce and sharp turns. The hosts played with purpose, scoring more than five runs per over as the pitch seemed to be easier for batting than on day three, when 15 wickets fell. Pakistan were defeated by Warner and Labuschagne’s 119-run partnership with Aamer Jamal, their greatest bowler in the series who was shockingly not deployed until after noon.

In the last innings of his 112-game career, all eyes were on Warner. Coming out to a rousing ovation, Warner had a long embrace with opening partner and close friend Usman Khawaja before joining a Pakistani guard of honour.

Sajid began the bowling for Pakistan and made an early impression with a crisp delivery that spun past Khawaja’s bat on the opening ball. Sajid restored Pakistan’s fading hopes by dismissing Khawaja lbw for a duck later in the over, a judgement that was maintained on appeal.

There was speculation about whether Warner would dig in or play in his signature aggressive manner. When he skipped down the pitch at left-arm quick Mir Hamza, he opened his account with a punch through cover before running between the wickets to rush back for a second.

Warner reached his half-century in 56 balls, and Australia just needed 39 runs after lunch. The last lingering question in the game was whether Warner would hit the winning runs. He escaped a close lbw decision from Sajid on 53, which Pakistan unsuccessfully appealed, and Labuschagne was dropped by skipper Shan Masood at short midwicket, adding to Pakistan’s series-long fielding troubles.

Labuschagne was in fine form and produced his second half-century of the match. Following Warner’s departure, he scored the winning run as Australia clinched a series sweep with none of the three Tests going into a fifth day.