Sydney, Jan, 01: Australia’s David Warner has announced his retirement from ODI cricket. The 37-year-old had previously stated that he would be ending his Test career after Australia’s upcoming Test against Pakistan in Sydney but Warner has now said that he will be hanging up his boots in ODI cricket as well. However, the opener has said that he will keep himself available for selection in the Champions Trophy in 2025.
Warner has said that winning the World Cup in India this year was a massive achievement and this was something he had thought about earlier as well. “I’m definitely retiring from one-day cricket as well,” he told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday. “That was something that I had said through the World Cup, get through that, and winning it in India, I think that’s a massive achievement.”
“So I’ll make that decision today, to retire from those forms, which does allow me to go and play some other leagues around the world and sort of get the one-day team moving forward a little bit. I know there’s a Champions Trophy coming up. If I’m playing decent cricket in two years’ time and I’m around and they need someone, I’m going to be available.”
If Warner doesn’t make a return in the Champions Trophy, he retires 6932 runs at an average of 45.30 with 22 centuries. He is Australia’s sixth-highest run scorer in the format and is only second to former captain Ricky Ponting’s tally of 29 centuries in the list for most tons for a player from the country in ODIs. Ponting had also played 205 more ODI innings than Warner.
Warner is also a two-time World Cup winner, having won the title in 2015 at home and then in 2023 in India. He was Australia’s second-highest run scorer in 2015 with 345 runs in eight innings with one century at an average of 49.28 and strike rate of 120.20. In 2023, he was the highest run scorer for Australia with 535 runs in 11 matches at 48.63 and strike rate of 108.29. He had scored two centuries and as many half-centuries in the tournament. Barring a surprise return in the Champions.Trophy, the 2023 World Cup final against India in Ahmedabad was his last match for Australia in ODIs.(HT)
