Former Australia pacer Brett Lee said David Warner’s confidence may have taken a beating after the harsh treatment meted out to him by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL but asserted that the opener is a big match player who will be the key to the team’s success in T20 World Cup.
Lee exhorted the Aussies to change the statistics since they are yet to win a T20 World title. Australia begins its campaign against South Africa on Saturday.
“We have not had a lot of success in this format — it is time we changed it and we do have a side that can take it all the way. It obviously won’t be easy, especially when you look at how strong teams like England, India and New Zealand are,” Lee wrote in a column for the ICC.
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“But this Australian side is loaded with talent and for me, the key is David Warner. I would like to say he is saving the runs for the games that count after his IPL form! He was really harshly dealt with there and it may have knocked some confidence out of him but he thrives on the big stage.”
Lee, though, did not have any doubt that India will be the title favourite and expects batter K.L. Rahul and pacer Mohammed Shami to come out on top.
“I think India are probably the favourites with their top four or five batters and their bowling attack. I have K.L. Rahul down as the top run-scorer in the tournament and Mohammed Shami to be the leading wicket-taker, purely going on the last few months. If they deliver and India has one of the leading scorers and wicket-takers, it’s a good start.”
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Lee also believed that teams from the Indian sub-continent should excel in these conditions.