David Warner, the veteran opener for Australia, is still playing with class in his final Test series. He hit a huge hundred in Australia’s series-opening victory over touring Pakistan in Perth, setting the stage for their overwhelming 360-run victory. The Paddington Southpaw rose to become Australia’s second-highest run scorer in international cricket on Day 1 of the AUS vs PAK Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
Warner, 37, has 371 international matches under his belt with 18515 runs. He is only trailing Ricky Ponting, who finished his illustrious playing career with 27,368 runs in 559 games (1995 to 2012). Warner passed the renowned Australian cricketer and former captain Steve Waugh. Waugh completed 493 matches (1985-2004) with 18496 runs scored.
Known as one of the most devastating hitters in cricket history, David Warner debuted for his country in a Twenty20 International match played at Melbourne Cricket Ground in January 2009 against South Africa. Warner received his first ODI cap in Hobart during that same Proteas tour, but he had to wait a little longer for his Test debut, which came against New Zealand in Brisbane in December 2011.
With one more game to go, Warner will have played 100 matches across all three game formats. He has amassed 8689 runs with 26 hundreds in 111 Test matches; 6932 runs with 22 tonnes in 161 ODIs; and 2894 runs with one hundred in 99 T20Is.
On an overcast day, visiting captain Shan Masood chose to bowl first in the second Australia vs. Pakistan Test at the MCG. He went with a four-man pace attack. Warner left the game at the stroke of lunch off the bowling of Agha Salman, after a cautious start and an opening stand of ninety runs with Usman Khawaja — thick outside edge and caught by Babar Azam at first slip. He hit three fours to help him make 38 off of 83.