Australian veteran David Warner suffers golden duck and record defeat on cricket return

The Aussie veteran has hopped straight off the plane and walked into a nightmare.

Ian Chadband, AAP
7NEWS Sport
David Warner made an inauspicious return to the Pakistan Super League for Karachi Kings.
David Warner made an inauspicious return to the Pakistan Super League for Karachi Kings. Credit: Getty

David Warner’s return to cricket, after being charged with drink-driving back home in Australia, has ended with the Test great suffering a golden duck while captaining his side to a record Pakistan Super League defeat.

The 39-year-old former Test luminary, who’s set to appear in court on May 7 after allegedly blowing more than twice the legal limit in a random breath test in Sydney last weekend, had a calamitous day straight off the plane when resuming his spell as skipper of PSL side Karachi Kings on Thursday.

Despite winning the toss at Karachi’s national stadium, Warner’s decision to insert Peshawar Zalmi backfired spectacularly as they amassed a massive 3-246 off their 20 overs, spearheaded by a spectacular 109 from Sri Lankan international Kusal Mendis and 83no from Pakistan great Babar Azam.

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Then Warner was snaffled behind point off the first ball he faced, surprised by a rearing delivery from Shoriful Islam as he tried to advance down the pitch, leaving Karachi already facing defeat after just seven balls at 2-7, following Muhammad Waseem’s dismissal third ball in the opening over.

It only got worse as Karachi then collapsed to 87 all out, with Iftikhar Ahmed (3-9), Nahid Rana (3-7) and Sufiyan Muqeem (3-18) running through the home team.

David Warner made an inauspicious return to the Pakistan Super League for Karachi Kings.
David Warner made an inauspicious return to the Pakistan Super League for Karachi Kings. Credit: AAP

It resulted in the hitherto unbeaten Karachi losing by 159 runs, the biggest defeat in the PSL’s 10-year annals.

Warner had returned to Australia during a week-long break between Karachi’s matches when he was stopped at a roadside breath testing unit at Maroubra in Sydney on Easter Sunday.

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The 39-year-old was charged after allegedly producing a blood alcohol reading of 0.104 - more than twice the legal limit.

Cricket New South Wales said on Wednesday it would support Warner after he was charged, saying it was committed to educating him “on the importance of safe driving”.

“David is aware of the seriousness of these allegations. We will support him through the upcoming process,” it said in a statement.

Originally published on 7NEWS Sport

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