Twitter Reactions: Australia in command over Pakistan after David Warner's crucial 164 on Day 1

Australia finished Day 1 with 346/5 on the board in the first Test against Pakistan.

By Anaswara V Rajan

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David Warner.
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David Warner. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening Test against Pakistan at the Optus Stadium in Perth. The global Test champions reached 346/5 on Day 1 (December 14, Thursday) with half of their lineup yet to bat. In a spectacular start to his farewell series, veteran opener David Warner showcased his prowess by slamming his 26th Test century on Day 1 to put his side in a commanding position.

Warner, alongside Usman Khawaja, justified Cummins' decision to bat first with an aggressive approach that added over 100 runs before Lunch. Despite facing challenges on a bouncy pitch, the southpaw scored his half-century in just 41 balls. The duo did survive a few scares but Pakistan pacers, particularly Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf, made inroads in the second session, dismissing Khawaja (41) and Marnus Labuschagne (16), respectively.

Despite the setbacks, Australia managed to build crucial partnerships, and Warner brought his 26th Test century in just 125 balls, with an upper-cut boundary off debutant Aamer Jamal further solidifying their position. The veteran went past Australia greats Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke to break into the top five leading run-scorers for the Kangaroos in the game’s longest format. 

Although Warner was dropped on 104 and survived a stumping chance, he continued to punish Shan Masood's men before finally succumbing to Jamal. The 37-year-old hit 164 (211), including 14 boundaries and four maximums. Khurram Shahzad struggled with No Balls in two sessions but got ace batter Steven Smith (31) as his first Test wicket while Jamal removed Travis Head (40). As the day concluded, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey stood firm in the middle, looking to extend the total in the first innings.

Having recently triumphed in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India and the World Test Championship, Australia seeks to maintain their winning momentum. The only change in the XI was the inclusion of lead spinner Nathan Lyon, returning after recovering from a calf injury suffered during the Ashes series in England this summer. On the other hand, Pakistan, who have opted for an inexperienced bowling attack, will aim to make early breakthroughs on Day 2.

Here's how fans reacted to the first day of the AUS vs PAK 1st Test:

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Australia vs Pakistan 2023PakistanAustraliaDavid Warner