Lisa Sthalekar, the former Australian cricketer-turned commentator, has termed Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) treatment of David Warner to be “heartbreaking” to see. Speaking at CricBuzz Live, Lisa Sthalekar stated that the treatment that has been meted out to David Warner this season by SRH is unfair considering his contributions to the franchise over the years.
David Warner’s relationship with SRH unravelled quite stunningly over the course of IPL 2021. The left-handed opener, who scored in excess of 500 runs in six consecutive IPL seasons for the franchise besides taking them to multiple playoffs and a title triumph in 2016, was stripped of his leadership duties during the first leg. In addition to that, David Warner was also dropped from SRH’s playing XI.
Lisa Sthalekar: Heartbreaking And Hate To See David Warner’s Treatment As He Was Axed By SRH Management
As the IPL 2021 season resumed in UAE, David Warner featured in the first two games for SRH but aggregated just 2 runs. IPL 2021 has been his worst season ever with just 195 runs in 8 games, with two fifties, averaging 24.38, and striking at 107.73. He did make a return to playing XI at the start of the UAE leg of IPL 2021 but was once again dropped after a couple of poor outings.
“It’s actually very heartbreaking when you think of the fact that David Warner has produced so much for that franchise. He has led them to so many finals, obviously title victory in 2016. I don’t know what’s going on behind but it has to be massive for them to be treating him like this. It doesn’t sit well with me regardless of what he has done. I hate it to be honest, I hate it, ” said Lisa Sthalekar.
David Warner wasn’t with the team either for a few matches after he was dropped. However, he was finally seen again in SRH’s most recent game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), sitting in the stands waving the Sunrisers flag.
Lisa Sthalekar Wants SRH To Play David Warner In The Last Game
It seems certain that David Warner will not be retained by the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise next year. Hence, with just two games left this year, former women cricketer Lisa Sthalekar wants SRH to give him the farewell that the former IPL-winning skipper deserves. She believes David Warner should feature in the starting XI for one last time before the season comes to an end.
“Since they are not going to keep him next year, I would like them (SRH) to let him play the last game because how many Hyderabad fans they have lost because of the way they have treated Warner,” Lisa Sthalekar said.
SRH will lock horns with the Royal Challengers in their penultimate game on Wednesday (October 6). The franchise will then cap off their campaign against the Mumbai Indians on October 8 in Abu Dhabi.
David Warner has been SRH’s star opener for a number of years, having carried the weight of a fragile middle order single-handedly. He was the Orange Cap winner in 2015, 2017, and 2019, having amassed 4014 runs in 95 games for the franchise at a whopping average of 49.56 and striking at 142.59.
He is still the IPL’s 5th highest scorer, having amassed 5449 runs in 150 games averaging 41.59 with 4 tons and 50 fifties. He has hit the maximum number of the fifties in IPL history. Assured of a play-off berth, Royal Challengers Bangalore would look to inch closer to a top-two finish in the league stage when they play Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL tonight.