AUS vs PAK: Usman Khawaja hails David Warner as 'fierce competitor' ahead of farewell Test in Sydney
Australia opening batter Usman Khawaja has hailed David Warner as a fierce competitor ahead of his farewell Test match against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 3.
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Warner announced that he would be retiring from ODI cricket, just a couple of days before his farewell Test in Sydney. Australia will be facing Pakistan in the third and final match of their Test series, having already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Addressing a press conference ahead of the Sydney Test, Warner got visibly emotional while announcing his retirement from ODI cricket.
Speaking to Fox Cricket, Khawaja, who is also Warner’s childhood friend and opening partner, said it was special to see Warner that way because we don’t see that side of him, while calling him a fierce competitor on the field.
“It is quite special and quite emotional, I haven’t seen that. You don’t see that side of Davey at all. Obviously he doesn’t show you that side when he is playing. He is a fierce competitor. You see the Bull and you see him go out there and play hard and I have known him for a long time and I know that side of him,” said Khawaja.
He went on to say that Warner, much like the legendary Shane Warne, is a very polarizing character. Warner has scored 208 runs in the last two matches for Australia, including a brilliant 164 in the first innings of the Perth Test.
“He has that persona about him, he is a bit like Warnie (Warne), he is polarizing. Like Warnie was and a lot of Australia loves Warnie. There was a lot of people I grew up with who didn’t like Warnie and there were people sitting on either side, very polarizing. Davey is the same. He is very polarizing. You either love him or you don’t. There is nothing really in the middle,” Khawaja added.
Australia will be looking to clean-sweep Pakistan in the Test series when they lock horns in Sydney as Warner bids farewell to international white-ball cricket at his home ground.
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