David Warner couldn’t find a better way to celebrate his 33rd birthday. The left-hander, who was playing his first international game in Australia post the one-year ban, smashed his way to a maiden T20I century against Sri Lanka in the first game of a three-match Twenty20 series at the Adelaide Oval on October 27, 2019 (Sunday). Warner, who turned 33 on Sunday, had enough reasons to smile on his birthday. The Australian opening batsman was playing his first game on Australian soil since that fateful day of March 2018 in Cape Town. Warner’s century – his first in Twenty20 Internationals – came off 56 deliveries, which powered Australia to their highest-ever T20I score at home. Steve Smith and David Warner Among the Most Expensive Players in ‘The Hundred’ Draft.

Warner’s maiden T20I century from 56 deliveries comprised of 14 boundaries, including four gigantic sixes into the stands. The left-handed opening batsman completed his maiden Twenty20 hundred in the final delivery of Australia’s innings in the 20th over. Warner took single in the final ball of the 20th over to complete his ton and help Australia post 233 runs on board.

Well Played Birthday Boy!!

The hosts lost only two wickets with each of their top three batsmen hitting at least a half-century. Warner first stitched a 122-run partnership with captain and opening partner Aaron Finch (64 off 36) before sharing another 107-run stand with Glenn Maxwell (63 off 28), who recorded his seventh T20I half-century having launched a carnage of the Lankan bowlers.

Shots Everywhere, Runs Everywhere

This was the first game Warner was playing in Australia in over a year. He, along with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, were handed a year-ban by Cricket Australia for their role in the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town, 2013.

Incidentally, it was also Warner’s 33rd birthday and after smashing his maiden T20I century, the hard-hitting opener had double reasons to celebrate. The Twenty20 game against Sri Lanka was also his first international innings since the traumatic Ashes 2019 Test series, where he scored 95 runs in 10 innings and was dismissed six times by Stuart Broad in the five-match Test series.

This was also the second time Australia have breached the 200-run mark in a T20I game against Sri Lanka. Australia’s highest-ever T20I score of 263 also came against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2016. The score of 232/2 was their fourth-highest score in T20I cricket and highest at home. It was also ninth time Australia have crossed the 200-run mark in Twenty20 International cricket.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 27, 2019 11:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).