Tempers have already begun to flare in the opening session of the third Test between Pakistan and Australia after the home side got off to a scintillating start.
Australia was rocked after choosing to bat first in Lahore, losing both David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne before the score reached double figures, after a scintillating spell from Pakistan paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi.
After removing two of Australia’s big guns, Afridi set his sights on Steve Smith as Smith strode to the wicket following Labuschagne’s dismissal.
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Afridi met Smith before the Australian star could even reach the pitch, offering some words of advice to the vice-captain, who shook his head in response and kept walking.
“I just wonder, the guys are staying in the same hotel, maybe he just asked, ‘what did you have for breakfast?’,” former Australian paceman Michael Kasprowicz joked on commentary.
“He had a bit of a chat to Labuschagne also as he came in,” lead commentator Mike Heysman added.
“They’ve gotten to know each other pretty well, these players. They’ve been travelling together to practices, practicising at the same time.”
While the entire Test series has been played in good spirits, there have been a number of tense moments, namely Naseem Shah‘s attempt to intimidate David Warner in the first Test.
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Shah, who made his Test debut against Australia at just 16 years of age in 2019, attempted to stare down Warner after hitting him on the body with a short-pitched delivery, only for Warner to laugh in response.
The 19-year-old was recalled into Pakistan’s line-up for the third Test after being omitted for the second Test.
The three-match series is currently tied 0-0 after Pakistan fought hard from a monster first-innings deficit to draw the second Test last week.