David Warner’s Test retirement hangover has followed him to the UAE as he made a sluggish start to life as a freelance T20 specialist.
But new Australian squad member Jake Fraser-McGurk took all of his Big Bash momentum with him to the Middle East as he began his ILT20 stint with a rapid half-century for the Dubai Capitals.
The 21-year-old crashed 54 off 25 balls, including four sixes, in his first overseas T20 game on Sunday before a cameo of 14 off nine on Tuesday morning.
Warner, who is the captain of the Delhi Capitals-owned franchise, continued to struggle out of the blocks after his slow-scoring knocks of 37 and 13 for the Sydney Thunder, posting one off seven balls as he holed out to Trent Boult in the first match before scratching 20 off 27 as his side lost to Daniel Sams’ Sharjah Warriors.
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After an indifferent BBL campaign, Tim David made a bright start to his UAE stint with Mumbai Indians affiliate MI Emirates, making an explosive 41 from 15 balls at No.6 as he presses his case to remain in the Australian T20 set-up.
While Fraser-McGurk will depart the tournament next week for Australia’s ODI series against the West Indies following his call-up to the squad for Glenn Maxwell, Warner and David are expected to be told to return to Australia by February 7 for the subsequent three-match T20 series.
Sams could also be a member of that squad as Australia tries to nail down its best side ahead of the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and US in June.
Coach Andrew McDonald confirmed Warner was a required player for the series despite his heavy workload across three formats this summer and captaincy commitments in the UAE.
He would miss at least three matches for the Capitals before the tournament finals and would face a frantic travel schedule if he wanted to return to the UAE before Australia’s T20 matches in New Zealand beginning February 21.
“I think most of our players that are going over there are due back on the 7th (of February) in preparation for the T20 in Hobart, so Davey will be a part of those plans,” McDonald said on Monday.
