In a surprising turn of events, despite announcing his retirement from One Day Internationals (ODIs) on Monday, David Warner may make a comeback for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The Australian cricket star had previously declared that the Sydney Test against Pakistan in January 2024 would mark his farewell from Test cricket, and the match, scheduled for January 3, 2024, is set to be his last, in line with his desire to conclude his illustrious career at his home ground.
Warner had already hinted at bidding adieu to the ODI format after the 2023 World Cup in India, which was anticipated to be his final appearance. However, the official announcement came on Monday, marking the end of an era in his ODI career. In his last ODI match during the World Cup 2023 final against India, Warner could only muster seven runs, but his team emerged victorious in the championship.
In a press conference, Warner said,
“I´ve got to give back to the family and also on the back of that I´m definitely retiring from one-day cricket as well,”
“That was something that I had said through the (2023) 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 (Twenty20) leagues around the world and sort of get the one-day team moving forward a little bit.
Despite the retirement decision, there are murmurs within the cricketing circles that David Warner might reconsider his stance and make a return for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The dynamic left-handed batsman had an impressive ODI career, accumulating 6932 runs in 161 matches, with a highest score of 179, at an average of 45.30.
“I know there´s a Champions Trophy coming up,” he added. “If I´m playing decent cricket in two years´ time and I´m around and they need someone, I´m going to be available.”
His contribution included 22 centuries and 33 half-centuries, along with a remarkable strike rate of 97.26. Warner’s impactful performances, including two centuries against Pakistan and the Netherlands in the 2023 World Cup, showcased his prowess in the limited-overs format.
Notably, the ICC Champions Trophy is set to take place for the first time since 2017 when Pakistan defeated India in a thrilling final. Cricket-loving Pakistan are named hosts of the prestigious tournament.
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