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David Warner hits century as Australia reach 210-2 at tea against Pakistan

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  • “We play pretty well here, have a good record,” says Cummins.
  • Pakistan captain Shan Masood included two debutants in his side.
  • Pakistan have performed poorly in Australia, losing 14 Tests.

PERTH: Veteran opener David Warner hammered an unbeaten century to silence critics and steer Australia to 210-2 at tea against Pakistan in the first Test at Perth.

At the break, the 37-year-old was on 111 and Steve Smith not out 21.

But Pakistan’s bowlers did earn some reward for their toil in searing heat by removing Usman Khawaja soon after lunch for 41, then Marnus Labuschagne for 16.

The hosts won the toss and opted to bat first, with Warner padding up under pressure to score runs with an emotional goodbye from the five-day game at the third Test in Sydney in front of his hometown fans his stated goal.

In the lead-up, former paceman Mitchell Johnson questioned whether Warner deserved a hero’s farewell given his recent poor red-ball form and involvement in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.

The left-hander, in his 110th Test, responded in typical swashbuckling fashion, crashing 15 fours and one giant six in his 149-ball knock.

He took a confident single off his first ball in an opening over from Shaheen Shah Afridi that leaked 14 runs and never looked back.

After living dangerously on a pitch offering bounce, he settled down 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 a 26th Test ton, reaching three figures from 125 balls with an uppercut boundary off debutant Aamer Jamal, celebrating with his trademark leap and soaking in the applause.

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

He had a massive let-off on 25 when dropped by Abdullah Shafique, who fumbled his catch off a mis-hit pull shot.

But he departed when Pakistan’s bowlers picked up their game after lunch, caught behind by wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed off Afridi’s bowling.

Labuschagne looked in good nick, racing to 16 when he was beaten by a ball pitched up by Ashraf and given out lbw. He reviewed the decision, but it was hitting a flush on the leg stump.

Smith clattered a four through midwicket off only his second ball to signal his intent and was untroubled.

Pakistan have never won a Test series in Australia and have failed to win a Test in the country since 1995.

They were beaten by innings in both matches in Australia four years ago when Warner ominously scored 154 and 335 not out.

Australia made just one change from their last Test, against England in July, with spinner Nathan Lyon fit again and back in the side.

Pacemen Jamal and Khurram Shahzad made their debuts for Pakistan under new captain Shan Masood.

Squads

Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Pakistan: Shan Masood (capt), Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Aamer Jamal, Khurram Shahzad.

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The BCCI has confirmed that Pakistan’s name will be on India’s jersey during the Champions Trophy.

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On Wednesday, the BCCI confirmed that Pakistan’s name would be put on India’s shirt.

According to Indian media, India’s shirt would incorporate the Champions Trophy emblem, which has been approved by the ICC. The Indian team will adhere to the International Cricket Council’s mega-event criteria.

The BCCI has underlined that the Indian squad will respect the ICC’s norms.

It is worth noting that the Champions Trophy begins on February 19.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) urged the ICC to severely enforce the BCCI’s policies.

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The Indian team must have the “Pakistan” logo on their uniforms, the ICC warns the BCCI.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has received a warning from the International Cricket Council about its unwillingness to include the logo of Pakistan on the trophy kits of its winning team.

The International Cricket Council has given a strong message to the Indian board on this, according to Indian NDTV.

As part of its host nation policy, the Indian board claimed that it was not interested in having Pakistan’s name appear on their team uniform. However, the ICC rejected this claim.

In reality, the ICC has urged the Indian board to clarify that, since the country was the tournament’s original host, the Indian squad must have “Pakistan” printed on their uniform.

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BCCI disregards tradition; Pakistan absent from Champions Trophy 2025 jerseys

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India’s preparations for the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have been marred by tensions between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

In a deviation from convention, the Indian team, captained by Rohit Sharma, would omit Pakistan’s name off their shirts, despite the event being hosted by Pakistan.

This action occurs against a backdrop of intensifying political and security conflicts between the two cricketing powerhouses.

Although the Champions Trophy is scheduled to occur in Pakistan, India has chosen to establish its squad in Dubai, citing persistent security apprehensions in the host country. This move has faced criticism from the PCB, which saw it as a diplomatic affront.

A PCB official denounced the action, alleging that the BCCI is politicizing cricket. The official stated, “India’s refusal to participate in Pakistan, coupled with their decision to withhold their captain from the opening ceremony, constitutes a direct affront to the event’s integrity.”

The omission of Pakistan’s name from the Indian squad’s shirts is perceived as an effort to diminish the host nation, representing a departure from the customary inclusion of the host country’s name on team attire.

The official articulated apprehensions that these measures would compromise the integrity of the competition. The BCCI is introducing politics into cricket, which is harmful to the sport. They declined to travel to Pakistan and are now unwilling to send their skipper to the opening ceremony. Reports indicate that they prefer not to feature the host nation’s name on their shirts. The official expressed a desire for the ICC to intervene and avert additional politicization, urging the sport’s governing body to take action.

The rivalry escalates as the two nations ready themselves for a critical confrontation in the tournament. India’s group-stage itinerary features a highly anticipated encounter with Pakistan on February 23, succeeded by a match against New Zealand on March 2. This event will signify India’s reentry into ICC play since their 2013 Champions Trophy victory under former captain MS Dhoni.

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