T20 World Cup 2022: "What a brainfade" - Fans bemused as David Warner is dismissed while attempting to bat right-handed in crucial tie vs Afghanistan

Australian opener David Warner perished while attempting to play a switch-hit during the team's must-win encounter against Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup 2022 on Friday, November 4.

Warner, who got off to a decent start, tried countering the field by switching his stance in the sixth over. However, Naveen-ul-Haq outsmarted the seasoned campaigner, bowling an off-cutter that ultimately crashed onto the batter's stumps.

The southpaw managed 25 runs off 18 balls in the crucial encounter during his stay at the crease. Warner's shot selection left several fans unimpressed, with many taking to social media to slam him for the outrageous shot.

While the switch hit has reaped dividends for David Warner on several occasions in the past, unfurling it against Afghanistan was the cause of his undoing this time around. The contest is of utmost importance for defending champions Australia as they somehow look to make the cut for the semi-finals.

The side need to win the contest by a significant margin to keep their qualification hopes alive. They currently have five points from four matches and are placed behind New Zealand and England in Group 1.

David Warner's T20 World Cup 2022 campaign has proved to be a forgettable one

David Warner, who was the star performer for Australia during the previous edition of the T20 World Cup, has had a disastrous campaign this time around.

The swashbuckler has mustered just 44 runs in four innings so far at an average of 11.00 along with an underwhelming strike rate of 107.31. Warner has been under the scanner for his poor showing at the showpiece event.

To make matters worse, the hosts Australia could very well be out of the semi-finals race if they fail to beef up their net run rate of -0.304 in their final group-stage fixture against Afghanistan.

They are tied with England in terms of points. However, the Jos Buttler-led side have a net run rate of 0.547, and they also have the benefit of playing the last fixture from their group.

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Aditya writes news, features, listicles, and exclusive pieces at Sportskeeda as a cricket journalist. After completing his MBA in Sports Management from Symbiosis, he started his professional journey and has a total work experience of 4 years, which included a stint at Republic World. Impressively, he has also done exclusive on-site coverage of two T20 World Cups (2021, 2022), the 2023 ODI World Cup, and 5 editions of IPL, and boasts a total readership of close to 13 million at Sportskeeda. He has also played cricket professionally at the AIU Zonal level for Ahmedabad district.

Aditya admires Virat Kohli’s exemplary discipline, dedication, and hard work. Kohli’s ‘Shot of the Century’ against Haris Rauf is a moment that left a lasting impact on him, ultimately teaching him a valuable life lesson that self-belief will always bear fruit. His favorite teams are the Indian Cricket Team and the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

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