"We’ll definitely miss him around the group" - Josh Hazlewood's tribute to David Warner as Australia get eliminated from T20 World Cup 2024

Australian new-ball seamer Josh Hazlewood admitted that David Warner will be dearly missed, with the opener's international retirement confirmed following Afghanistan's entry in the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final. However, the 33-year-old expects a seamless transition, given Australia have done it in Tests and ODIs.

Warner had already retired from Tests and ODIs and marked T20 World Cup 2024 as his final international assignment.

While the left-hander slammed 178 runs, the last two innings saw him score only nine runs and then perish for six against India on Monday in St.Lucia. With Afghanistan beating Bangladesh and ensuring their semi-final qualification, Australia have officially been knocked out.

At a post-match presser, Hazlewood remarked, as quoted by Fox Sports:

"We’ll definitely miss him around the group, out on the field and off the field. He’s had an amazing all-format career. We’ve had Test cricket and ODI cricket and now T20s. You’ve gotten used to it a bit in New Zealand. It’s always different when you lose a player that’s been there for so long. We’ll move on and push forward."

The southpaw made his international debut in 2009 and has been part of multiple World Cup-winning teams. The dynamic opener first tasted World Cup success in 2015, followed by triumphs in 2021 and 2023.

"I don’t think there’d be anything drastic" - Josh Hazlewood ahead of next T20 World Cup

With T20 World Cups coming every two years, Hazlewood believes Australia have able reinforcements for the next edition and backs them to make an impact. He explained:

"They come around pretty quick, the T20 World Cups, every two years. There might be a couple of changes, but a lot of the guys still play in the franchise cricket if they’re not playing for Australia, so they’re available to be picked. There’s some class players in our 15, and we’ve got a couple on the bench as well. So, you’d think it’d be an actual slow change. I don’t think there’d be anything drastic."

Australia will be back in action only in September when they face England in white-ball matches.