Overview
- NSW Police deployed Public Order and Riot Squad officers with long‑arm rifles, alongside uniformed and mounted units, for high‑visibility patrols at the sold‑out Sydney Cricket Ground.
- Assistant Commissioner Leanne McCusker said there is no specific threat and noted PORS officers have long been rifle‑trained, framing the move as a visible deterrent rather than a capability change.
- Before play, a guard of honour recognized first responders and community members, with a standing ovation for Ahmed al Ahmed, who helped disarm a gunman during the Bondi attack.
- Cricket Australia organized the on‑field tribute to emergency services, lifesavers, hospital staff and Jewish community groups as the names of the 15 victims were displayed in the stadium.
- The measures follow similar rifle‑armed deployments at the Boxing Day Test and New Year’s Eve in Sydney; accused gunman Naveed Akram faces 59 charges including 15 counts of murder, and five people remain hospitalized.