AUS vs PAK: David Warner announces ODI retirement before farewell Test match against Pakistan

David Warner, on Monday, January 1, announced his retirement from ODI cricket.

The veteran put forth his decision two days before playing his farewell Test match against Pakistan to be played at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Warner said that he contemplated retiring from the 50-over format during the World Cup 2023, where Australia finished as the champions.

The southpaw said that he needed to devote more time to his wife Candice and their three daughters, Ivy, Isla and Indi.

“I’ve got to give back to the family. That (ODI retirement) was something I had said through the World Cup, get through that and winning that in India is a massive achievement,” Warner was quoted as saying in a press conference in Sydney.

However, Warner also mentioned that he would come out of retirement if Australia needed a top-order batter for the Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in 2025.

“I know there’s a Champions Trophy coming up and if I’m playing decent cricket still in two years’ time, and they need someone, I’m going to be available,” he added.

Warner had a stupendous outing in the World Cup where he emerged as the leading run-scorer for his team. In 11 matches, the left-handed batter racked up 535 runs at an average of 48.63 and a strike-rate of 108.29 with two centuries and one fifty to his name. His top score of 163 came against Pakistan at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

In 161 ODIs thus far, Warner has notched 6932 runs at an average of 45.30 and a strike-rate of 97.26 with 22 centuries and 33 half-centuries to his name. Warner made his ODI debut way back in January 2009 against South Africa in Hobart and finished as their sixth-highest run-scorer after Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke and Steve Waugh.