David Warner defuses heated claim by Pakistan reporter about Indians ‘spreading hate’: ‘First time I've heard of it’

Australia’s legendary former opener, David Warner, is gearing up for his debut in the Pakistan Super League this year, taking the helm as captain of Karachi Kings. Having been a prominent figure in various franchise leagues throughout his illustrious career, Warner was previously unable to participate in the PSL due to his jam-packed schedule. However, with his retirement from international cricket last year, he is now fully available for the tournament. David Warner during his PSL press conference(X)

During his first press conference ahead of Karachi Kings' opening match against Mohammad Rizwan's Multan Sultans, however, Warner faced a rather inciting question from a Pakistan reporter.

The reporter claimed that many ‘Indians’ have trolled Warner for playing in the Pakistan Super League after the Australian was not picked during the IPL auction last year. He further asked Warner for a reaction to the “hate” being spread. The former Aussie opener, however, revealed that it was the first time he had heard such a claim.

“This is the first I've heard of it. From my perspective, I want to play cricket. There's an opportunity to come to PSL. My international calendar didn't allow me to come to PSL due to the timings. Now, I want to compete, captain the Karachi Kings, and hopefully we are able to win the trophy,” Warner said.

Warner played for the Delhi Capitals in the previous IPL season and led the franchise in the 2023 edition after Rishabh Pant, then-captain of the side, was forced to miss the season following a car crash. The franchise released the Australian ahead of the auction in November.

Warner's IPL record

Warner continues to be the IPL's most successful overseas batter, with 6565 runs to his name in 184 appearances. Throughout his career in the league, he represented two franchises: Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Some of Warner's best years in the league came with the SRH, where he also led the side to title victory in 2016.

Overall, Warner remains the fourth-highest scorer in the league, only behind the Indian trio of Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, and Rohit Sharma.

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