Holiday festivities and cheers reached the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as the Australian players had a working Christmas ahead of the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan. So all the Australian players had their families around at the MCG indoor nets to spend time with them and the Pakistan cricket team decided to be their opponents' secret Santa as they gave gifts to them and their families.
On December 25, Pakistan captain Shan Masood and the support staff brought gift boxes and candies for Pat Cummins and Co. and their little children making a happy and healthy environment. Australian players and their wives chatted with the Pakistan players over food as it became a big happy family celebrating the festival with cricket taking a backseat for just a bit. David Warner had a hearty chat with Babar Azam and Pakistan's bowling coach Umar Gul while Cummins and his partner interacted with Masood, who also spent some time with Usman Khawaja.
Watch the video here:
Since the Boxing Day Test has become a tradition in Australia, working Christmas has become a reality for the players and the support staff and hence with families being around, it makes it just a little better and the Pakistan team took it notches higher with their gesture. However, both teams will be aware that a day later, everything will be different as they will be representing their countries and wanting to win the Boxing Day Test.
A roaring crowd of 90,000 is likely to be present on the first day at the MCG on December 26 and Pakistan will have their task cut out given they are 0-1 behind. Can they turn it around? Pakistan have already announced their 12 which is in complete contrast to the side that played in Perth but will hope that they can level the series on surface which might suit them the most.
