David Warner dashes BBL hero Mitch Owen’s ‘inevitable’ rise to international stardom

A day before the Big Bash League started, Mitch Owen said he wasn’t sure where he’d be batting — or at all — for the Hobart Hurricanes this season.

After a record-breaking knock to win the competition for his hometown side, Owen, also the top runscorer for the league, can start to lift his sights higher.

The 23-year-old has been the revelation of the Big Bash League this term, bumped up the order and flourishing as an opener for the Hurricanes.

His mighty knock of 108 off just 42 balls - the equal-fastest ton in competition history - had the sellout crowd chanting his name and won Hobart their first title.

“I feel a bit awkward in these situations. I don’t really know how to take it,” Owen said of the adoration.

“It’s super special ... the most special thing is hearing everyone in the crowd enjoying it. And I’m so grateful, I’m so proud that we could bring this trophy to Tassie.”

Owen had played just six matches in the previous two seasons for Hobart, for a total 42 runs.

Previously a middle-order hitter, Owen said a decision he would be batting in the top order came “probably one day, to be honest” out from their tournament opener.

Hurricanes head of strategy Ricky Ponting said he was “amongst that” decision, and while he wouldn’t elaborate on his role in that move, the Test great happily talked up Owen’s future, saying discussion of him going to next year’s World Cup was “inevitable”.

“There’s not many players in the world that can do that,” Ponting told AAP of his final heroics.

“He’s done it pretty consistently through the tournament ... some of his 30s and 40s that he’s got have actually won and set up games for the Hurricanes.

“And then he ended up getting 100 in 30-odd balls and the game’s over.”

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Hobart teammate and 2021 T20 World Cup winner Matthew Wade agreed Owen “would be there or thereabouts” when it came to squad selection for the 2026 tournament.

“He can be anything ... no stage really worries him too much. It was phenomenal,” he told AAP.

“He’ll be spoken about, playing for Australia.”

Owen said he “absolutely” wanted to work towards the squad for the India-Sri Lanka-hosted tournament, which begins next February.

However, David Warner suggested such talk was premature.

Whether sour grapes from the losing captain in Monday’s final, or a voice of reason from a T20 great, Warner said the team didn’t need a shake-up given Owen’s average was lop-sided towards performances at Bellerive.

“No no. You’ve got the guys that are there at the moment,” he said.

“You can earn your stripes, but he’s gonna keep churning him out ... we can’t be just picking blokes and chopping and changing when the guys that are there have won World Cups and they’re doing as well as they are.”

Warner was certainly happy to credit Owen with a “phenomenal knock” that meant his side came up short after posting 0-97 after 10 overs.

“We got beat by one player tonight. Plain and simple,” he said.

“We missed a trick.

“We lost, I think, seven for 70-odd or 80-odd. Just disappointed we couldn’t get to 200. I felt 200 was probably going to be a par total.”