In a gleaming showdown between India and Australia, cricket fans witnessed a remarkable milestone as the seasoned Australian opener, David Warner, etched his name into the annals of ODI cricket history. Warner reached the illustrious century of sixes during the first match of a gripping three-game series in Mohali on a thrilling Friday.
With a ferocious boundary in the 12th over, Warner soared into the coveted club, becoming the seventh Australian batter and the 43rd cricketer worldwide to achieve this remarkable feat. The left-handed dynamo showcased his prowess as he dispatched R Ashwin's delivery over mid-wicket, symbolizing his entry into an exclusive group that includes luminaries such as Ricky Ponting (162), Adam Gilchrist (149), Shane Watson (131), Aaron Finch (129), Glenn Maxwell (128), and Andrew Symonds (103).
Notably, David Warner's milestone cements his place alongside Gilchrist (144) and Finch (127) as one of the most prolific Australian openers in terms of ODI sixes. In this remarkable journey, Warner has now hit a staggering 105 sixes in the T20I format, making him only the third Australian cricketer, following in the footsteps of Finch and Maxwell, to cross the 100-six mark in both limited-overs formats.
But the centurion of sixes isn't limited to just ODIs and T20Is; his dominance extends to Test cricket as well, where he has dispatched the ball into the stands on 65 occasions. This grand total of 270 international sixes places Warner at the pinnacle among Australian cricketing giants. Joining him in this lofty territory are Gilchrist (262) and Finch (255), both of whom have also amassed an awe-inspiring tally of 250-plus sixes on the international stage.
Before this monumental achievement, David Warner's ODI career has been nothing short of stellar, having featured in 147 ODIs and amassing a formidable total of 6,236 runs at an impressive average of 44.86, which includes a remarkable 20 centuries. As an opener, Warner's only peer in terms of runs for the five-time world champions is the legendary keeper-batter, Adam Gilchrist, who boasts an astounding 9,176 runs in ODIs.
However, the euphoria was not without its moments of triumph and tribulation, as Warner's breathtaking innings came to a close at 52 runs from 53 balls, adorned with six boundaries and two massive sixes. It was the crafty Ravindra Jadeja who managed to break through Warner's defenses on that memorable Friday.
In the grand tapestry of cricketing history, David Warner's century of ODI sixes stands as a testament to his explosive batting prowess and his enduring legacy in the realm of limited-overs cricket. As the series unfolds, cricket enthusiasts eagerly anticipate what other dazzling feats this Australian stalwart has in store.
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