Cricket

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has hailed the illustrious career of David Warner, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket. Ponting praised Warner's exceptional impact across all three formats, highlighting the difficulty in finding a suitable replacement.Warner's 15-year international career culminated in Australia's elimination from the T20 World Cup at the Super Eight stage. Ponting, who played alongside and coached Warner, expressed his admiration for the opener's achievements."I put my arm around him and said, '...just take a moment tonight to sit back by yourself and reflect on what's been an unbelievable career across all three formats for Australia,'" Ponting said. "We know he retired in the summer from Test cricket, but you'll struggle to find a guy that's had as big an impact on all three forms in Australian cricket than David Warner has."Warner's retirement leaves a significant void in the Australian team. Pacer Josh Hazlewood acknowledged the challenge of filling Warner's absence in the dressing room."We'll definitely miss him around the group, out in the field and off-field. (An) amazing all-format career," Hazlewood said. "It's sort of been a slow burn with Test cricket, and ODI cricket and now T20. So, life without him, we've sort of gotten used to it a little bit … it's always different when you lose a player that's been there for so long.”Despite his retirement from international cricket, Warner has indicated a willingness to consider a return to the Australian ODI team for the Champions Trophy early next year, contingent on his continued strong performance.

David Warner's illustrious 15-year international career came to a poignant end as Afghanistan's victory over Bangladesh in St Vincent on Monday night sealed Australia's elimination from the T20 World Cup at the Super Eight phase.Warner's departure from the international stage has been a gradual process. He played his final ODI in November's World Cup final triumph over India and his last Test against Pakistan in January. The T20 World Cup was widely anticipated to be his swansong, although he had hinted at a possible return for next year's Champions Trophy.His final appearance, against India, was a subdued affair. He scored a modest six runs off six balls before edging Arshdeep Singh to slip, where Suryakumar Yadav took a sharp low catch. Warner's frustration was evident as he punched his bat with his right hand and walked off the pitch with his head bowed.After the match, Warner was seen chatting with Virat Kohli on the outfield, while Josh Hazlewood indicated that the timing of Warner's send-off from his teammates would depend on the outcome of Afghanistan's game against Bangladesh."Nothing's been said yet," Hazlewood said. "It might be said after this [press conference] before the [evening] game, but I think we'll wait until after the game and then we'll [acknowledge] the career that's been. It's been unbelievable. We'll definitely miss him around the group, out in the field and off-field - an amazing all-format career."Hazlewood acknowledged that Warner's departure would mark a changing of the guard for Australia, with Cameron Green being the only player in the squad younger than 28. However, he suggested that it would not be a complete overhaul."They come around pretty quick, the T20 World Cups, every two years," he said. "There might be a couple of changes, but a lot of the guys still play in franchise cricket if they're not playing for Australia, so they're available to be picked. There's some class players in our 15, and we've got a couple on the bench as well. You'd think it'd be an actual slow change… I don't think there'd be anything drastic."Warner's retirement marks the end of an era for Australian cricket. He has been a key figure in the team's success across all formats, and his absence will be keenly felt.

Australian opener David Warner has come to the defense of Indian batter Virat Kohli, who has faced criticism for his strike rate in recent T20 World Cup matches. Warner believes that Kohli's passion and determination make him a formidable opponent and that the criticism he receives is unwarranted."He's got a knack for indetermination just for scoring runs and hunger to score runs," Warner said of Kohli. "You know, he cops a lot of criticism, which is not right. I don't know why he cops it, but there are a lot of people out there who are big Virat supporters, like all of us."Warner also highlighted Kohli's competitive spirit, which he believes adds an extra dimension to matches between India and Australia. "He consistently goes about his business how he does. You know, he scores a lot of runs. He's a good team man and he competes hard. And that's what we like about coming up against the Indian cricket team."Australian spinner Adam Zampa echoed Warner's sentiments, acknowledging the challenge of facing a batting lineup that includes Kohli and Rohit Sharma. "You look down the India's line up, Virat, Rohit. All those guys were obvious names who've been around for a long time," Zampa said.Tim David, another Australian player, praised Rohit's batting prowess and his determination to win a world championship. "Something about Rohit is that naturally, he's so good to watch how he plays. He's effortless the way he bats," David said. "But I think he's got to care about his teammates, which obviously he's in that role as India's captain. And I know that he's pretty hungry for a world title as well."Despite the challenges posed by India's batting lineup, the Australian team remains confident in their abilities. They believe that their own batting strength and bowling depth will give them a competitive edge in the Super Eight matches.

Usman Khawaja, the veteran Australian opener, has expressed his desire for the team to give David Warner a fitting farewell by winning the T20 World Cup. Warner, who is set to retire from international cricket after the tournament, has been in impressive form, and Khawaja believes he deserves a grand send-off."As a friend, I'd love to see him (Warner) finish on a high," Khawaja said. "He's been playing some really good cricket. It's been really nice to see. You can tell he's just enjoying being out there. He's playing pretty relaxed. So he should. Yeah, it would be good to see."Despite Australia's shock defeat to Afghanistan, Khawaja remains confident in the team's ability to win the T20 World Cup for the second time since 2021. He believes that Australia has the potential to lift their game in the knockout stages."I think we've shown over the years that we're a great knockout team," Khawaja said. "As soon as there's a knockout situation, more times than not we've won, but we've just got to get there."Khawaja also praised Mitchell Marsh's leadership skills, saying that his captaincy is a reflection of his personality. "I think his captaincy is just him. It's him as a person. He doesn't try to be anything that he's not. He's relaxed. He goes out and plays the game, takes the game on, leads from the front, leads by his actions. So, I've really enjoyed watching his captaincy."While acknowledging India's strength, Khawaja believes that any team can beat anyone in T20 cricket. "I mean, India's always a threat. They have batters left, right and centre. They have great bowlers. They have excellent spinners. They have literally all bases covered. They always have," he said. "So I think on any day, any team can beat anyone, particularly in T20 cricket."Looking ahead to Australia's upcoming series against India and the home Ashes in 2025, Khawaja termed both as pinnacle of cricketing contests. "It's always tough to beat India in India. But in the last couple of series, India has beaten Australia in Australia, which is never nice for an Australian. So, yeah, we've got a lot to play for. It's a big series. To me, England and India are the two biggest series."Khawaja concluded by reflecting on the enduring popularity of Test cricket in Australia and the new golden ticket initiative taken by Cricket Australia. "The baggy green is still the pinnacle of Australian cricket. I think we're very lucky in Australia. I still think we get paid really well to play Test cricket. It's not the same across the world. So, it's a little bit different for us. We don't have to try as hard. Because we have a long-standing tradition. And kids that grow up these days still want to get a baggy green."

Australia's formidable opening duo of David Warner and Travis Head has been instrumental in the team's unbeaten run in the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup. Their contrasting styles and aggressive approach have complemented each other perfectly, laying the foundation for Australia's success.Warner, a seasoned campaigner, has found his groove in the tournament after a relatively quiet season with the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. His crisp strokeplay and ability to cut the ball effectively have been crucial in providing Australia with solid starts.Head, on the other hand, has been a revelation for the Baggy Greens. His exceptional performance for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2024, where he amassed 567 runs at a staggering strike rate of 191.55, has boosted his confidence and translated into his performances for Australia.Maxwell, Australia's all-rounder, praised the duo's ability to dominate different areas of the field. "They both hit it in such different areas," he said. "Trav has come in with a lot of confidence and he's just played such good, aggressive cricket. And David has started so crisp pretty much in most of the games."In the group stage match against England, Warner and Head showcased their destructive potential. They took advantage of the wind and forged a 70-run opening stand off just 30 deliveries, setting the tone for Australia's competitive total of 201/7."They sort of broke the back of the match in those first six overs," Maxwell added. "The way that they got us ahead allowed us to sort of set up the back end."Australia's next Super 8 game will be against Afghanistan on Sunday at Arnos Vale Stadium. The team will be looking to continue their unbeaten run and secure a place in the semi-finals.

Australia's Test and ODI captain, Pat Cummins, is relishing his role after being relieved of the T20 captaincy burden. He expressed confidence in his team's preparedness for the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup, stating that they have "ticked off everything" they could have so far.In their opening Super 8 match, Cummins claimed a hattrick and leg-spinner Adam Zampa bowled economically to restrict Bangladesh to 140/8. In response, veteran opener David Warner led the chase with his second fifty of the tournament, guiding Australia to a 28-run victory via the DLS method.Cummins praised the team's overall performance, saying, "It was a fairly polished performance, which is kind of what you want in Super Eights." He emphasized the team's versatility and adaptability, noting that they have used 12 or 13 players so far and everyone has had a chance to contribute.He also highlighted the longevity and impact of Mitchell Starc, who became the highest wicket-taker in ODI and T20 World Cups combined. "He's just a class bowler who takes lots of wickets and has played for a while," Cummins said.Regarding Warner's impending retirement from international cricket, Cummins praised his insatiable appetite for runs in big tournaments. "He looks in great form and continues to play with that freedom, which is great," Cummins said.

Former Australian cricket captains Michael Clarke and Aaron Finch have expressed concerns over the timing of David Warner's recent remarks regarding the impact of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Warner, who is nearing the end of his international career, stated that he has faced the brunt of criticism since the incident.Clarke believes that Warner's comments are fair but poorly timed. He argues that other players, such as Cameron Bancroft, have also faced significant consequences. Clarke suggests that Warner's remarks may have been more appropriate after the World Cup rather than during the tournament.Finch echoed Clarke's sentiments, expressing surprise at Warner's timing. He believes that Warner's comments could potentially distract the team during a crucial stage of the competition.Warner's remarks have sparked a debate about the lasting impact of the ball-tampering scandal. Clarke acknowledges that the incident will always be part of Warner's legacy, but he believes that his brilliance as a cricketer will ultimately overshadow it.Warner's close friend, Usman Khawaja, has previously suggested that some of Warner's behavior before the ban was influenced by team instructions. Khawaja believes that Warner has changed his approach since his return to the team in 2019.Despite the controversy surrounding his comments, Warner remains a key player for Australia in the T20 World Cup. If the team wins the tournament, he could become one of only four players to have played in three finals across all three formats.

David Warner, the veteran Australian opener, has acknowledged that the infamous "Sandpaper-gate" incident of 2018 will forever tarnish his legacy as he contemplates retirement from international cricket.Warner, 37, has expressed his desire to conclude his career on a high note by winning the T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies, where Australia has advanced to the Super Eight round. However, he recognizes that his achievements on the field will always be overshadowed by the ball-tampering scandal that occurred in South Africa six years ago."I think it's going to be inevitable that when people talk about me in 20 or 30 years' time, there will always be that sandpaper scandal," Warner said, according to Cricket Australia.Warner, Australia's leading run-scorer in T20 cricket, has announced that his international playing career will end at the World Cup. He believes he has been unfairly singled out for the affair, as his time at the top was coming to an end."Whether it's people who don't like the Australian cricket team or don't like me, I've always been that person who has copped it," Warner said. "It's fine if they want to do that, but I always feel like I've taken a lot of pressure off a lot of guys as well and I think understandably I've been that person to be able to absorb that."Warner's involvement in the third Test scandal in Cape Town, where Cameron Bancroft used sandpaper to scuff the ball before clumsily attempting to hide the evidence down his pants, earned him a one-year ban, along with that of then-skipper Steve Smith. Cricket Australia demoted Warner from vice captaincy as he was the main conspirator.The batsman expressed his eagerness to retire from international cricket, stating, "One can only absorb (so much)." "For me, it's great to go out knowing I'm not going to cop it anymore."

Sydney Thunder's general manager, Trent Copeland, is optimistic about David Warner's return for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season. Warner, who has been a key figure for the Thunder in the past, has expressed his desire to play a full campaign with the club.Warner's availability has been limited in recent seasons due to his international commitments. However, with his Test career now behind him, he could be more available for the BBL. Copeland is eager to capitalize on this opportunity and believes Warner's presence would greatly benefit the team."He's a champion of the club, a long-standing member, and hasn't really had the opportunities in his career to just live and breathe that for a full summer," Copeland said. "So I'm really keen to make that happen."Warner has other commitments, including a deal with the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20, but Copeland is confident that the Thunder can accommodate his schedule. "Let's make sure we make that happen and he can be a Thunder man for life," Copeland said.Warner himself has expressed his enthusiasm for playing in the BBL next season. "I definitely am keen to pursue playing Big Bash next year," he said. "There's going to be conversations behind the scenes to allow me to do that."Copeland has made significant changes to the Thunder's roster since taking over as GM. Wes Agar and Sam Billings have been brought in, and the team has the third pick in the upcoming overseas draft. Copeland is confident that the Thunder can make a strong run in the upcoming season with Warner's potential return and the new additions to the team.