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David Warner Re-Signs with Sydney Thunder for BBL 16 After Record Season

Sydney Thunder captain David Warner has signed a one-year contract extension to remain with the franchise for the next Big Bash League season. This follows a remarkable individual campaign in BBL 15 where he was the competition's leading run-scorer, notching two unbeaten centuries. Despite Warner's heroics, the Thunder had a dismal season, finishing last on the ladder with only two wins. Warner expressed his commitment to helping the team improve and deliver a stronger performance in the upcoming tournament.

Key Points: David Warner Extends Sydney Thunder Stay for BBL 16

  • Warner re-signs for BBL 16
  • Was BBL 15's leading run-scorer
  • Scored two unbeaten centuries
  • Thunder finished bottom of the table
  • Warner recently passed 14,000 T20 runs
3 min read

David Warner extends stay with Sydney Thunder, signs one-year-deal for BBL 16

David Warner re-signs with Sydney Thunder for BBL 16 after a dominant individual season as the league's top run-scorer with two centuries.

"I feel I have got plenty more to give to this team and to this game. - David Warner"

Sydney, January 23

Sydney Thunder skipper David Warner has re-signed with the club for the next edition of the Big Bash League, extending his stay with the franchise after a bumper season with the bat, despite his team's struggles to do well as a collective in the tournament.

A statement from the franchise said, "Sydney Thunder captain David Warner has re-signed for KFC BBL|16, committing his immediate future to the club on the back of a dominant individual campaign. Warner showed why he's still one of Australia's best batters with two unbeaten centuries in BBL|15, including a club record 130* at ENGIE Stadium."

The 39-year-old finished as the league's leading run-scorer with 433 runs at a strike rate of 154, with two centuries and two fifties, despite missing two matches due to injury. His standout season also earned him a second consecutive Team of the Tournament selection, once again named captain. Sydney Thunder though finished at the bottom of the points table, with two wins and eight losses, giving them just four points.

The former Australian all-format legend with almost 19,000 international runs to his name is not slowing down in T20s, recently becoming the fourth player to breach the 14,000 run mark in the format. Now in 432 matches, he has 14,028 runs at an average of 37.11 and a strike rate of over 140, with 10 centuries and 115 fifties.

"I am really excited to commit to another season with Thunder," Warner said in a statement by the club.

"It was certainly a challenging year for us, we are a much better team than what we put on the field this season and were unable to put a consistent game together. But the support from our fans - turning up in numbers every game - it played a massive role in my decision to stay."

"I feel I have got plenty more to give to this team and to this game. I felt pretty comfortable with my performance and was proud to give the team a fighting chance. We have already begun reviewing the season and putting the right plans in place to ensure we deliver a much stronger campaign in BBL|16," he concluded.

Thunder General Manager Trent Copeland said it was a no-brainer to extend Warner after another huge season.

"We are stoked that Davey is staying on for another season. He has had an incredible year, not only is he one of the greatest T20 players in the world over the last 15 years, but still very clearly one of the best batters in the BBL and his fitness levels are elite. His hunger and his drive as a leader to improve upon a disappointing season for the squad is as strong as ever," he concluded.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting to see such a senior player still so driven. At 39, his fitness and strike rate are incredible. It's a lesson for young cricketers everywhere, including in India, that age is just a number if you have the passion.
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Ananya R
Two centuries and the team still finished last? 😅 This is the problem sometimes with T20 leagues. One star player can't win you the trophy. Thunder need to build a better team around him. Warner deserves to play in a winning side in his last years.
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Vikram M
Respect for his loyalty to the franchise despite the poor results. In the IPL, we see big players jumping ships quickly. Warner sticking with Thunder shows character. Wishing him all the best for BBL 16!
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Karthik V
With all due respect to a great player, I think Thunder's management is being sentimental. At 39, they should be planning for the future. His individual performance was great, but cricket is a team sport. They need to invest in younger talent.
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Michael C
14,000 T20 runs is a monstrous achievement. Only a handful of players in the world can claim that. Warner's longevity across all formats is seriously impressive. Enjoy him while he's still playing!

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