David Warner will miss the white ball series against West Indies which is slated to begin in February to participate in the ILT20 series. He will retire from the Test format after the conclusion of the ongoing Pakistan test series. After retirement, he wants to maximize his availability in the T20 format.
Warner has signed a deal with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 which will be played from January 20 through to the final on February 18. While Australia will play against West Indies in three ODIs & three T20Is between February 2 & 13. After the conclusion of the Test series Warner will play in BBL for Sydney Thunder. But there remains doubt over his availability in the BBL finals if Thunder manage to qualify for the event.
The Chief Executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association on Thursday stated that he had expected Warner to apply for an NOC to play in the ILt20.
“I think the short answer to that is probably yes,” Greenberg told SEN when asked if Warner would likely miss some home cricket. “I know he’s pretty committed to the BBL.”
“In the next phase of Dave’s life, no doubt he’ll be on the lookout for opportunities that give him the best bang for his buck. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that – in fact, they’re cheering him on.”
There will be times when he’ll want to skip some games and tours. It’s the kind of flexibility they need to wrap their heads around. Not everyone may like it, but hey, it’s the modern world we’re living in, and they’ve got to roll with the punches.”
Warner’s unavailability in the West Indies series is not a big deal as Australian cricket had already thought of resting the senior players for the series. But they plan to select a full-strength team for T20Is in New Zealand given preparation for June’s World Cup in the Caribbean and USA with Warner expected to be part of that. The first match of that series is on February 21 in Wellington. Cricket Australia also perceives IPL as a valuable part of the T20 World Cup 2024 preparation for those who have earned deals. This means Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc will be a part of IPL 2024 & will get NOCs from CA to feature in the cash-rich league.
David Warner would not accept Central Contracts in 2024
During the recent ODI World Cup 2023, Warner said that he would not accept a Cricket Australia Central contract in 2024 to give himself some freedom.
Explaining the reason for not accepting the contract, Warner asserted that he would not be pursuing any contracts, definitively opting out. Detailing the workings of the Australian system, it was explained that if a player engages in five T20 games ODIs or three Tests, they automatically receive an upgrade and become legally bound by the contracting system, encompassing sponsor commitments and similar obligations.
This, Warner pointed out, could pose a significant challenge, particularly at his current career stage. He expressed his reluctance to commit to such an agreement and emphasized the need to carefully consider this aspect in his future decisions. The underlying concern is that a meager contract could potentially result in substantial long-term costs concerning sponsorships.
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