Former India player turned renowned commentator Aakash Chopra has named David Warner the soul of Australia’s T20I squad. He further added that they lose half their strength when Warner is not at his best of form with the bat as well.
However, Warner hit a 30-ball 49 while chasing 177 against Pakistan. Along with him, Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade played cameos and helped Australia win the game and they will play the final against New Zealand. While reflecting on this in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra applauded David Warner. He said:
“If the Australian T20 team is a body, David Warner is its soul. If he doesn’t play, the team becomes half. But when he plays, we say form is temporary, David Warner is permanent and he is class when we talk about this format.”
“He has been very very good. He played an amazing counter-attacking knock. He was just keeping Australia in the game. There was one moment though which broke my heart. The ball slipped out of Hafeez’s hands, who hits like that, I have never seen anyone do that even in Ranji Trophy but he hit a six,” Aakash Chopra continued.
“It was incredible hitting” – Aakash Chopra on Matthew Wade
Shadab Khan bowled exceedingly well and picked up four wickets to put Pakistan on track to defend the total. But Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis added 81 runs for the sixth win to take the game away from Pakistan.
Aakash Chopra showered praise on Australian wicket-keeper, who struck three back-to-back six to take the Aussies home.
“After that Shadab took four wickets – it was game, set, match and all of that, in which Maxwell, Smith and Warner also got out. What else do you want? But after that Wade was there with Stoinis. The game was in the balance there as well because Wade was going at run-a-ball, Stoinis was hitting but Wade was keeping Pakistan in the game. And that is when the Hasan Ali over which also had a no-ball. After that, a Haris Rauf over and then there was a catch dropped by Hasan Ali, the heart was broken, it was not a white-colored ball but probably the trophy. Then three sixes, it was incredible hitting,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
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