Warner reveals chat with Shaheen, Jamal reveals Pakistan’s second day plan

Veteran opener David Warner smashed a 164 to silence critics and lead Australia to 346-5 against an inconsistent Pakistan attack in the first Test in Perth on Thursday.

The 37-year-old batted for much of the first day before finally departing to Aamer Jamal, two balls after smashing the debutant for six.

“In my first spell, I couldn’t find my rhythm. In my second spell, I felt better. Later, I talked to the captain and wanted another spell. We planned for both [Warner and Head] with short balls, and that helped us succeed. Head was playing the cut shot well, so it was our plan to have the (catching) striker out of the circle. He was playing the shot even if it wasn’t that short, so that’s how we got him out,” Jamal said in the press conference after the day.

But until Jamal struck, they had no answer to a near flawless Warner who smashed 16 fours and four sixes in a magnificent 211-ball innings.

After Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat, Warner took an assured single off his first ball in an opener from Shaheen Shah Afridi who leaked 14 runs and never looked back.

“It’s been quite a few months for Shaheen [Afridi] He has also bowled a lot in the World Cup. You have to try to put pressure on their senior player in the first test match. Small talk is just normal stuff – nothing. He’s not trying to get under my skin or anything, it’s just normal banter,” Warner said at the press conference after the day.

On a pitch that offered bounce, he settled in quickly to bring up his half-century off just 41 balls with a boundary from Faheem Ashraf.

His strike rate slowed after lunch as he moved towards his 26th Test ton, reaching three figures with an uppercut boundary from Jamal, celebrating with his trademark leap and soaking in the applause.

It was his first century after a battling 200 against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground a year ago.

“It’s my job to come out here and score runs, that was from the start to put pressure on the Pakistan bowlers,” Warner said.

“There will be criticism but you have to accept it. There’s no better way to shut them up (than) by putting runs on the board,” he added.

He was dropped by Khurrem Shahzad soon after his landmark came up, but was in mixed command until Jamal tempted him with a short ball and was caught near the ropes by Imam-ul-Haq.

Khawaja, wearing a black armband in solidarity with the people of Gaza, was happy to play second fiddle to an opening stand of 126 runs.

He had a huge release on 25 when he was dropped by Abdullah Shafique but departed when Pakistan’s bowlers picked up their game after lunch, caught by keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed off the bowling of Afridi.

Labuschagne was looking good, reaching 16, when he was bowled by a ball bowled by Ashraf and given out lbw.

Smith hit a four off his second ball to signal his intent but, after making an effortless 31, was cheated by a gift from Shahzad and took a faint lead to the diving Ahmed. It was a maiden test for the debutant.

Head won with a quick 40 before peaking straight to Agha Salman, ensuring Jamal also claimed a first Test wicket to finish a trying day as the best of the bowlers with 2-63.

“I loved the experience of playing here. I was in Australia in 2017 where I played in Sydney. Playing in Australia against Australia is always challenging but I think we were pretty good. Both bowlers are playing well with the second new ball . We plan to get them out in the first hour tomorrow morning. Both batsmen are playing their shots, so if they do that, we might get them out early,” Jamal added.