David Warner Right Hand full batting in the BPL 2019

David Warner Right Hand full batting in the BPL 2019

David Warner's one-year ban over ball-tampering is set to expire in the last week of March and the left-handed opener is expected to be back playing for Australia at the highest level soon after.

If his batting form in the ongoing season of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Twenty20 tournament is anything to go by, Warner is certain to walk into the Australian side. The reigning world champions are struggling in the absence of Warner and its former captain, Steve Smith who was also handed a one-year ban over his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal during a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town last year.

Warner, it seems, is confident about his batting form so much so that he batted right-handed in Wednesday's BPL match for Sylhet Sixers against Mashrafe Mortaza-led Rangpur Riders in Sylhet.

After batting with his usual left-handed stance for 32 balls, Warner took guard as a right-handed batsman, helping raise quite a few eyebrows. The Australia opener then smashed Riders' part-time off-spinner Chris Gayle for a six in the first ball after the switch.

Warner made room for himself and lofted Gayle straight over the bowler's head and over the ropes, sending the crowd and social media into a tizzy. Warner didn't stop there as he paddle-swept the next ball to a boundary. He also played a reverse sweep and collected another boundary in the last ball of the 19th over.

Warner finished with an unbeaten 61 off 36 balls - 47 off 33 with a left-hander's guard and 14 off 3 with a right-hander's. The Australia star's whirlwind knock helped the Sixers post 187 for 5 on the board.

Outcast opener David Warner reminded Australian cricket he’s still one of the most freakish batsmen in the world — even while batting right-handed.

Currently playing in the Bangladesh T20 competition while he serves a 12-month suspension from the national team for his role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, Warner produced an epic hitting display to lead the Sylhet Sixers to a 27-run win against the Rangpur Riders.

Batting at first drop, Warner blasted his way to 45 from 29 deliveries with two overs remaining in the innings.

But after back-to-back dot balls against West Indian spinner Chris Gayle, he made the bold move to face up right-handed for the remaining three balls of the 19th over.

Gayle was bemused, before quickly becoming rather concerned when the first ball was smacked straight back over his head for six.

The big Jamaican overcorrected with his next delivery — and Warner smacked the full toss to the square leg boundary.

He added the cream on the cake with the final ball of the over, playing a reverse sweep — which in reality was his normal left-handed approach — that beat the fielder and also went for four.

The 14-run explosion saw Warner finish 61 not out and had cricket fans around the world in awe.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has confirmed that Australian cricketer David Warners’ change of stance from left-hand to right-hand batting during Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) clash is within the cricketing laws.

“MCC has reviewed the footage of David Warner switching to batting right-handed in the Bangladesh Premier League match and feels that his actions were within the Laws of Cricket,” the MCC, the custodians of the Laws of the game, told ESPNcricinfo.

“The laws do not state that a batsman can bat only in one way and, from the footage seen, it seems clear that Warner made it obvious that he was changing to batting right-handed. The bowler, Chris Gayle, altered the field accordingly and everyone seemed to know what was happening,” they added.

Warner batted in right-hand stance to smash West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle for 14 runs off three balls in a BPL match between his side Sylhet Sixers and Rangpur Riders on Wednesday.

The Australian was struggling on the pitch during the 19th over of the innings following which he changed his stance. The trick worked for the batsman as he hit back to back boundaries to Gayle in the over.

Meanwhile, Warner is all set to cut short his BPL stint due to an elbow injury and will return to Australia on January 21 to have his injury assessed. Before departing home, Warner will play two matches for Sixers which are scheduled to be held on January 18 and 19.

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