T20 World Cup 2021: "If he doesn't play, the team becomes half" - Aakash Chopra calls David Warner the soul of the Australian T20 side
Aakash Chopra has called David Warner the soul of Australia's T20I team. He added that the Aussies lose half their strength when the dashing opener is not at the top of his game.
Warner smashed a 30-ball 49 during Australia's 177-run chase in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2021 against Pakistan. His knock along with the efforts of Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade helped the Kangaroos book a berth in the final of the global event against New Zealand.
While reflecting on Australia's chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra put David Warner on a high pedestal. He elaborated:
"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."
While lauding Warner's knock, the former India cricketer was slightly critical of the six the Aussie opener hit off Mohammad Hafeez's bowling. Aakash Chopra observed:
"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."
What an absolutely pathetic display of spirit of the game by Warner! #Shameful What say @ashwinravi99? https://t.co/wVrssqOENW
Warner smashed a six into the stands off a Hafeez delivery that bounced twice after it slipped out of the Pakistan off-spinner's hand.
Check out the full 2021 T20 World Cup squad here.
Aakash Chopra on Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade's match-winning partnership for Australia
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Shadab Khan had almost sealed the match in Pakistan's favor with a four-wicket haul. He said:
"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 reputed commentator concluded by stating that a couple of indifferent overs by the Pakistan pacers and Wade being let off by Hasan Ali cost the Babar Azam-led side a spot in the final. Aakash Chopra explained:
"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."
Wow,wow wow! Matthew Wade take a bow BUT you just have to feel for the Pakistanis: no side has played with more all round style than men in green. To see Hasan Ali drop a catch, followed by 3 sixes. Well played Aussies: never say die spirit wins as team chasing wins yet again!
Wade was dropped by Ali at deep midwicket on the third ball of the 19th over bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi. The Australian wicketkeeper-batter hit the next three deliveries for sixes to knock Pakistan out of the tournament.