David Warner exits international cricket on quiet note after Australia’s T20 World Cup ouster – Times of India

Australia’s veteran opening batsman David Warner has bid farewell to his illustrious 15-year international career, which was marked by both remarkable achievements and controversies.

The former champions were eliminated from the T20 World Cup in the ‘Super 8s’ phase after Afghanistan’s victory over Bangladesh, bringing a rather quiet end to Warner’s journey.

In the ‘Super 8s’ Group 1 table, former T20 Australia secured only two points from their solitary win against Bangladesh, finishing in third place. They suffered unexpected defeat at the hands of Afghanistan.

The 24-run loss against India on June 24 was 37-year-old Warner’s last international outing, having made his Australia debut in a T20I match in January 2009. In his final match, he scored six runs off six balls before edging Arshdeep Singh to Suryakumar Yadav, who took a low catch.

The retirement process for Warner has been gradual, with his final ODI match being the World Cup final win over India in November 2023, and his last Test against Pakistan in January. He had previously indicated that this T20 World Cup would mark the end of his international career.

Warner retires as Australia’s highest scorer and the seventh-most prolific batter in the world in the T20 format, amassing 3,277 runs from 110 matches at an average of 33.43 and a strike rate of 142.47. His T20 career includes one hundred and 28 fifties.

Warner had an impressive career spanning from 2011 to 2024. In the 112 Test matches he played during this period, Warner amassed a total of 8,786 runs at a commendable average of 44.59. His Test career is adorned with 26 centuries and 37 half-centuries, showcasing his consistency and ability to score big runs.

In the 50-over format, Warner’s record is equally remarkable. He has represented Australia in 161 ODI matches, scoring 6,932 runs at an average of 45.30. His ODI career boasts 22 centuries and 33 half-centuries, further highlighting his prowess as a top-order batsman.

With a total of 49 centuries across all formats and nearly 19,000 runs in international cricket, Warner’s achievements are undeniable. However, his career has also been marred by controversy, particularly the sandpaper-gate scandal that occurred during a Test match against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town, in 2018. Warner has acknowledged that “his name will forever be linked to the sandpaper gate scandal.”

As a result of his involvement in the scandal, where Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to tamper with the ball, Warner faced severe consequences. He was handed a one-year ban from international and domestic cricket, the same punishment given to the then-skipper Steven Smith. Additionally, Warner was banned for life from holding any leadership role in Australian cricket, a decision that has had a lasting impact on his career.

“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,” he said last week at North Sound ahead of Australia’s ‘Super 8s’ clash against Bangladesh.

“But for me, if they’re real cricket tragics and they love cricket, (as well as) my closest supporters, they will always see me as that cricketer – someone who tried to change the game, someone who tried to follow in the footsteps of the openers before me and try and score runs at a great tempo and change Test cricket in a way.”

During his T20 league career, Warner captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to their maiden Indian Premier League title triumph in 2016.