Top 5 David Warner innings in T20Is 

David Warner is currently one of the top batsmen in the world across the three formats of the game but as a T20 player, he will always have a special place. He is one of the few cricketers whose international debut came in a T20I and ever since that scintillating debut against South Africa in January 2009, he has never looked back.

Over the course of his T20 career, David Warner has played plenty of outstanding innings for Australia at the top of the order and his status as a match-winner is beyond doubt. His power hitting, timing, bat speed and hard running makes him the ideal T20 player and here is a quick look at 5 of his finest T20I innings for Australia.

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#5 63* v India, World T20, Colombo, 2012

On a difficult pitch at Colombo, India had struggled with the bat and posted 140 in the crucial super eight encounter against Australia. Their only hope was by picking up early wickets but David Warner, in the company of Shane Watson, did not give them a sniff. Warner played in his characteristic style and clubbed the Indian bowlers mercilessly to put the result beyond doubt early on. He scored 63 runs off 41 balls and smashed 7 fours along with 3 sixes to turn the match into a no contest.

Even when Watson was dismissed with few runs left to get, Warner did not take any undue risks and closed the game with more than 5 overs to go. It was a ruthless and professional performance that has now become his hallmark in T20 cricket.

#4 67 v West Indies, Sydney, 2010

Australia v West Indies - Twenty20 International

Although this innings was played in a bilateral T20 series, the quality of the innings and the cold, calculated assault on the West Indian bowlers in pursuit of a modest target makes it one of Warner's best T20I innings. Chasing 139 to win against a relatively weak West Indian attack, Warner decided to make a mockery of the target and smacked seven sixes in addition to five fours to score a scintillating 29-ball-67 to knock the stuffing out of the opponents.

It was a brutal display of power hitting from Warner, who had by then only been in international cricket for a year but after that innings, there was no doubt that he was going to be one of the modern greats.

#3 72 v India, World T20, Bridgetown, 2010

David Warner v India at the ICC T20 World Cup, 2010

Another big World T20 encounter between the two sides and another David Warner masterclass rendered the Indian bowling attack useless as Australia piled up a huge score at Bridgetown. Opening the innings in a crunch league game, David Warner took on the bowlers right from the start and in an exhibition of breathtaking power hitting, he top scored for Australia with a brutal 42 ball 72.

His tally of 7 sixes and only two fours in that innings is also a testament of the sort of hitting form he was in that day as Indian bowlers were left licking their wounds once his innings came to a close. Australia piled up 185 and India never quite recovered from that Warner assault as they folded for 135 in 17.4 overs.

Warner had delivered that knockout punch in the 1st innings.

#2 89 v South Africa, Melbourne, 2009

Warner hit the second ball he faced from South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini over the bowler's head for four

This was the innings by way of which David Warner announced himself on the world stage and as far as sheer excitement is concerned, no other debut has ever been able to come close to that. Warner hit the second ball he faced from South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini over the bowler's head for four and from then on, it was a total carnage as he grew in confidence.

He played for just over an hour and hit 7 fours and 6 sixes to score 89 runs in 43 balls, as the South Africans were left wondering how to put a stop to the destruction unfolding before their eyes. Warner's innings helped Australia score 182 in 20 overs and South Africa were never quite in the game after that. Australia won by 52 runs.

#1 77 v South Africa, Johannesburg, 2016

David Warner muscles one to the on side against South Africa

This was one of those rare occasions in which Warner did not open the innings for Australia but batted at number 4 and played one of his best T20I innings till date. Chasing a mammoth 205 for victory, Australia soon found themselves 32-3 in the 6th over and the onus was on Warner to take them home. Considering the task at hand, Warner did what he does best and went after the South African bowlers from the outset. He slammed 6 fours and 5 sixes to score 77 in 40 deliveries and pulled Australia out of the hole.

With able support from Maxwell, he helped his team win the game that had looked beyond them at one point. This innings further illustrated the point that Warner is no longer just a top order power hitter but a superb batsman, someone who is aware of the match situation and can alter his approach accordingly. Additionally, he showed immense adaptability by batting at number 4 without losing any of effectiveness.