ICC World Cup 2019: Amid boos, kid asks for David Warner’s autograph, here’s how he reacted

Not everyone present in the Bristol stands were unwelcoming towards David Warner and Steve Smith. During the Afghanistan vs Australia match, a kid requested Warner for an autograph when he was positioned at long-off for a brief period of time.

David Warner defied the boo-boys to hit an unbeaten half-century on his official return to international cricket on Saturday as Australia began their title defence with a seven-wicket victory against Afghanistan in their first match of ICC World Cup 2019 on Saturday.

David Warner agrees to give autograph despite boos from the crowd. (HT Collage)

The five-time champions dismissed Afghanistan for 207 in 38.2 overs on a warm day in Bristol and then made steady progress, reaching their target with more than 15 overs to spare, with Warner 89 not out.

The match was the first official Australian appearance in any format for Warner and former captain Steve Smith since the end of their year-long bans for ball-tampering.

The crowd booed the pair and two fans watched the game from a balcony dressed as sandpaper in reference to the scandal last year in which Australia hatched a plot to use the material to alter the condition of the ball.

But not everyone present in the Bristol stands were unwelcoming towards Warner and Smith. During Afghanistan’s innings, a kid requested Warner for an autograph when he was positioned at long-off for a brief period of time. The Australia opener happily obliged making it clear that there was no bitterness between him and the crowd.

Warner, however, was booed again when walked out to open the batting for Australia but the crowd once again settled down after the left-hander played a superb knock in the chase.

Warner was declared Man of the Match for his effort.”It’s good to be back and it’s a good win for us,” said Warner at the presentation ceremony.

“There were nerves getting back into the camp and getting back into the full intensity of training, but to come out and bowl the way we did helped us set the tone with the bat.

“It’s a positive victory and now we move on to the West Indies....There’s a great buzz about this team at this moment.”

Left-handed Warner opened the batting with captain Aaron Finch in the evening sunshine but it was the skipper who set the tone, reaching his fifty off 40 balls with three sixes.

Warner, not at his belligerent best, had a narrow escape when he was on 19, scrambling back after chopping a delivery and losing sight of the ball as wicket-keeper Mohammad Shahzad whipped off the bails.

Finch mistimed a slower ball from Afghan skipper Gulbadin Naib when on 66, holing out to Mujeeb Ur Rahman at deep cover and smashing his bat into his pads in frustration.

Warner, 32, found his touch as he neared his fifty, reaching the mark off 74 balls and raising his bat to of a chorus of boos.

The dismissal of Usman Khawaja by Rashid Khan brought Smith to the wicket and he too was given a rough ride by the crowd.

Smith was dismissed in tame fashion, caught by Hazratullah Zazai off the bowling of Mujeeb for 18 with the end in sight and had to endure more boos and apparent shouts of “cheat” as he left the field.

(With agency inputs)