Australian opener David Warner attributed his phenomenal white-ball success to his appearances in the Indian Premier League (IPL), particularly with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
The 36-year-old is the buzz of the town after scoring a stunning 163 off 124 deliveries in Australia’s important 62-run triumph over Pakistan on Friday, October 20 in Bangalore. Warner and Mitchell Marsh had a dazzling 259-run combination, the second-highest opening stand in World Cup history, to push Australia to a huge 367/9 in 50 overs.
After the game, Warner credited his ability to switch gears and play in Indian circumstances to his time at SRH.
“I think that’s where in T20 cricket, I’ve learned a little bit as well to change my gears, especially in IPL. I learned a lot when I was playing for Sunrisers that you’re able to have a lot more time than you think. And I think playing on these surfaces specifically, you know, if you give yourself time at the back end, you can actually score big.”
“And that’s what I felt today. I look to try and get to 35 overs and then from there, try and put my foot down if I’m still in. So, yeah, it’s probably in the back of your mind, you’ve got a lot more time.”
David Warner
David Warner, currently a player for the Delhi franchise in the IPL, rose to fame during his impressive eight-year tenure with SRH from 2014 to 2021.
Left-handed batsman David Warner has had an impressive career in the IPL. He claimed the Orange Cap, awarded to the top run-scorer in the tournament, twice – in 2015 and 2017. In 2016, he even led his team to victory in the IPL. With a total of 6,397 runs at an average of 41.53 and a strike rate of 139.91, Warner currently ranks as the third-highest run-scorer in IPL history, surpassed only by Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan. His batting prowess includes four centuries throughout his IPL journey.
“Established early on in my career that 50 overs is a long time” – David Warner
David Warner stated that embracing a long time of 50 overs has assisted him in breaking down the innings and switching gears properly.
The 36-year-old has 6,625 runs at an average of 45.37 and a strike rate of 96.82 in ODIs, including 21 hundreds. David Warner has the three greatest ODI World Cup scores by an Australian batter: 178 against Afghanistan in 2015, 166 against Bangladesh in 2019, and 163 against Pakistan in 2019.
“Look, for me, I think what I’ve established early on in my career is that 50 overs is a long time. And having played Test cricket, you actually can take that out there and change your gears quite easily. So, in the first 10, two new balls, you’ve got to respect that. But then if you get away, you can get on top of it and then you can be 50 off the first 10. And then from there, you set the platform for yourself and that’s the energy you feed off. And then you look to try and bat.”
David Warner
After a rough start in the 2023 World Cup, the experienced opener has quickly climbed up to sixth place on the list of leading run-scorers. He has scored an impressive 228 runs in just four games.
In contrast, Australia has managed to bounce back with two consecutive victories following their initial two defeats, reigniting their campaign. Their next match will be against the Netherlands in Delhi on Wednesday, October 25th.