Not the ideal start for the cricketing fans of the year 2024. The star veteran Australian player David Warner decided to bid adieu from One Day International (ODI) cricket. The Australian cricketer made this announcement just two days ahead of his farewell Test match. Australia will play against Pakistan and is scheduled to take place at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Warner revealed that he considered retiring from the 50-over format during the 2023 World Cup, where Australia emerged as champions. The left-handed batter expressed the need to allocate more time to his family. Majorly his wife Candice and their three daughters – Ivy, Isla, and Indi. He even said that winning the World Cup in India was special. Warner further added it feels like he has ended his career on high.
“I’ve got to give back to the family. That (ODI retirement) was something I had said through the World Cup, get through that and winning that in India is a massive achievement,” Warner was quoted as saying in a press conference in Sydney.
I am going to be available: David Warner
Nevertheless, the southpaw also added that he would reconsider his retirement. If Australia requires a top-order batter for the Champions Trophy 2025. The mega event is slated to be hosted by Pakistan in 2025. This has sparked the notion that his retirement is not permanent and the fans can expect to see him back in action.
“I know there’s a Champions Trophy coming up and if I’m playing decent cricket still in two years’ time, and they need someone, I’m going to be available,” he added.
Warner had an outstanding performance in the World Cup, emerging as the top run-scorer for his team. In 11 matches, the left-handed batter accumulated 535 runs at an average of 48.63 and a strike rate of 108.29, including two centuries and one fifty. His highest score of 163 came against Pakistan at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
With 6932 runs in 161 ODIs at an average of 45.30 and a strike rate of 97.26, Warner stands as the sixth-highest run-scorer for Australia in ODIs. He is after Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke, and Steve Waugh. Warner made his ODI debut in January 2009 against South Africa in Hobart.
