AUS vs PAK [WATCH]: Marnus Labuschagne and Hasan Ali chase off pigeons on Day 1 of MCG Test

After losing the first clash by 360 runs, Pakistan are locking horns in the second red-ball match of their tour to Australia. Amidst the competitive cricketing action on Day 1 of the match, a delightful moment captured the attention of fans and pundits alike. The spotlight shone on the Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne and Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali, who made peculiar and lighthearted gesture on the field.

Marnus Labuschagne and Hasan Ali’s comical on-field gesture

A viral video circulating on social media captured a delightful and spontaneous moment when Labuschagne was seen sprinting towards the non-striker’s end, playfully using his bat to shoo away pigeons that had gathered on the field. The scene unfolded during the 48th over of the third session, with Steve Smith, positioned at the striker’s end, unable to contain his laughter at Labuschagne’s antics. Adding to the amusement, Hasan also joined in the effort to disperse the birds.

Here is the video:

A few pigeons were behind the bowler – so Marnus Labuschagne and Hasan Ali decided to move them along! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/BI2sGZA0eb

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2023

Also READ – AUS vs PAK [Twitter reactions]: Marnus Labuschagne’s brilliance rescues Australia on Day 1 of the MCG Test

Australia’s steady run with the bat on Day 1

Being invited to bat first, Australia faced an early hiccup when opener David Warner was handed a lifeline, having been dropped by Abdullah Shafique in the slips while on just two runs. The stalwart, capitalizing on the opportunity, went on to form a resilient partnership of 90 runs with Usman Khawaja before eventually departing with a score of 38. Khawaja, too, fell victim to Hasan after contributing 42 runs to the team’s total.

Subsequently, a substantial rain delay interrupted play, causing a pause in proceedings. When the game resumed with 26.2 overs left to be bowled, Marnus Labuschagne and Smith took charge, while Aamer Jamal knocking off Smith at a score of 26. Despite the nearly three-hour delay, Australia managed to reach a total of 187 for the loss of 3 wickets in 66 overs by the end of Day 1.

Also READ: West Indies legend Michael Holding slams ICC over their stance on Usman Khawaja