‘Should Be Very Proud’: Ponting Commends Warner On His Stellar Cricket Career

David Warner's international retirement was confirmed after Australia's exit from the T20 World Cup 2024. Former skipper Ricky Ponting praised Warner, saying he should be proud of his career achievements.

Australia needed Bangladesh to defeat Afghanistan in the final Super 8 match to advance to the semi-finals. However, Afghanistan's victory over Bangladesh in Kingstown secured the last semifinal spot from Group 1, ending Australia's campaign and confirming Warner's retirement.

The 37-year-old had earlier announced that the T20 World Cup 2024 would mark his retirement after stepping down from Tests and ODIs in January. In his last international innings, Warner scored 6 runs as Australia lost to India by 24 runs in their final Super 8 match.

Following the match, Ponting offered advice to Warner as he transitions away from international cricket. Ponting shared what he told Warner during their conversation.

"(I) put my arm around him. I said, '...just take a moment tonight to sit back by yourself and reflect on what's been an unbelievable career across all three formats for Australia'," Ponting was quoted as saying in ICC's Digital Daily show.

Ponting, who captained and coached Warner at different stages of his career, emphasized the difficulty of finding another player with such a significant impact across all formats.

"We know he retired in the summer from test cricket, but you'll struggle to find a guy that's had as big an impact on all three forms in Australian cricket than David Warner has," Ponting added.

Warner's Impact on Australian Cricket

Ponting also highlighted his personal experiences with Warner, both as a teammate and coach. "I've been able to play with him, I've been able to coach him in the IPL the last couple of years and I really enjoy his company. So he should be very proud of what he's done."

Warner's departure marks the end of a remarkable 15-year international career filled with significant contributions across Test, ODI, and T20 formats for Australia.