‘I want to play the T20 World Cup and finish there’- David Warner hints at international retirement

David Warner (Photo Source: Getty)

Australian opening batter David Warner was seen at his vintage best during the first T20I against West Indies on Friday, February 09 at Bellerive Oval, Hobart. The southpaw played a breathtaking knock of 70 off 36 balls clobbering 12 fours and a six in his innings. Courtesy of his electrifying knock, Australia posted a massive score of 213/7 in their allotted 20 overs.

In reply, West Indies gave a tough fight scoring 202/8 in their allotted 20 overs as Australia won the match by 11 runs. Warner was awarded Player of the Match for scoring the 25th half-century of his T20I career. Speaking at the post-match presentation after receiving the award, the 37-year-old revealed his plans to retire after the T20 World Cup 2024.

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“Pleasing to get the win on the board. Was a nice wicket to bat on and you have to make the most of it. Feel great and refreshed, I’m pumped. I want to play the T20 World Cup and finish there and it’s a good journey we’ve got going for the next 6 months. Pretty much the same squad going to New Zealand so it’s important we win there as well,” Warner said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

Notably, the T20 World Cup 2024 will begin from June 01 and will be held in the West Indies and the USA. Warner was awarded the Player of the Tournament in the 2021 T20 World Cup finishing as the second-highest run scorer of the tournament with 289 runs from seven innings. The southpaw would hope to finish his international career by helping Australia win another ICC Trophy.

David Warner became first player to score 50+ in 100th game of each format

The Australian opener recently announced retirement from Tests and ODIs and played his last game in the longest format in January 2024 against Pakistan in Sydney. On the other hand, his last ODI was the final of the ODI World Cup 2023 where Australia beat India by six wickets to clinch their sixth title.

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Meanwhile, courtesy of his 70-run knock against West Indies in the first T20I, Warner also became the first player to register a fifty-plus score in his 100th game in each format. The opener had scored 124 (119) against India in his 100th ODI in Bengaluru on September 28, 2017. He further scored a double hundred 200 (255) in his 100th Test against South Africa during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 2022.