June 25th 2024.
In a rather bittersweet turn of events, David Warner, one of Australia's most iconic cricket players, has officially announced the end of his 15-year-long international career. It comes as a disappointment, to say the least, as Afghanistan's victory over Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup's Super Eight phase has resulted in Australia's elimination from the tournament. This outcome marks a rather anti-climactic end to Warner's illustrious journey, which has been filled with both remarkable achievements and controversies.
As the reigning champions of 2021, Australia managed to secure the third spot in the Super 8s Group 1 table with a mere two points, courtesy of their win against Bangladesh. However, their journey was marred by a shocking loss to Afghanistan and a humbling defeat against India. It was a tough pill to swallow for Warner, who made his international debut back in January 2009 in a T20I match. Unfortunately, his final match turned out to be Australia's 24-run loss to India on June 24th at Gros Islet.
There were no grand gestures or standing ovations for Warner, despite being one of Australia's all-time greatest batters. In his last match, he could only manage to score six runs off six balls before being caught by Suryakumar Yadav off Arshdeep Singh's delivery. As he walked off the pitch with his head down, it was unclear whether this would be his final game. However, Warner's retirement from international cricket has been a gradual process, with his last ODI match being the World Cup final win against India in November 2023, and his last Test against Pakistan in January.
Warner's decision to retire from international cricket was not a sudden one. He had previously indicated that this T20 World Cup would be his final tournament. The 37-year-old has had an impressive career, scoring a total of 3,277 runs from 110 T20 matches for Australia, with an average of 33.43 and a strike rate of 142.47. He has also managed to score one century and 28 fifties in the shortest format. In addition to this, Warner has scored 8,786 runs from 112 Test matches at an average of 44.59, including 26 centuries and 37 fifties, between 2011 and 2024. He also has a successful ODI record, with 6,932 runs from 161 matches at an average of 45.30, including 22 centuries and 33 half-centuries.
Despite his impressive stats and achievements, Warner's name will always be linked to the infamous sandpaper gate scandal that took place during a Test match against South Africa in 2018. The incident, where Warner's teammate Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to alter the ball, resulted in him receiving a one-year ban, the same punishment as then-captain Steven Smith. As a result, Warner was also banned from taking on any leadership roles in the Australian cricket setup.
In a recent interview ahead of Australia's Super 8 clash against Bangladesh, Warner acknowledged that the sandpaper scandal will always be a part of his legacy. He believes that it is inevitable that people will talk about it even 20 or 30 years from now. However, for his closest supporters and true cricket enthusiasts, Warner hopes that they will remember him as a player who tried to make a positive impact on the game, following in the footsteps of the openers before him.
Aside from his international career, Warner was also a key player in the IPL side Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2014 to 2021. He even led the team to its only title in 2016. As Warner hangs up his international boots, his fans and fellow cricketers will surely miss his talent and contributions to the sport.
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