Next year's T20 World Cup could be David Warner's last international assignment
Sydney, Jan 12: Australian batting stalwart David Warner has indicated he wants the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies to be his international swansong, saying winning the title would be an icing on the cake.
"(This will) most likely be my last year of my international career. I've got my sights set on the 2024 (T20) World Cup as well, so finishing in the Americas (North America and Caribbean islands), that'd be nice to top it off with a win over there, pending selection," Warner was quoted as saying by Sky Sports on Thursday.
Warner was adjudged the 'Player of the Tournament' for his tally of 289 runs in Australia's winning campaign in the T20 World Cup in the UAE in 2021. He is currently playing BBL for Sydney Thunders.
"I've signed (with the Thunder) for this year and next year, and it's my time to contribute and give back. I've got that time to do that now (this will) most likely be my last year of my international career," added Warner.
The T20 World Cup is being jointly hosted by the West Indies and the United States in June next year.
In December last year, Warner had said that he was highly motivated for the four-Test Border-Gavaskar series in India if he is included in the touring party.
"The extra motivation for me is winning in India and completely winning a series in England. I've been told by the coach and the selectors they would like me to be there.
"Was there doubt? Of course there was doubt in my mind but for me it was about going out there and knowing that I've still got that hunger and determination because every time I rock up to training, I've got it," he had said.
Meanwhile, Steve Smith has said he will keep concentrating on his ODI and Test careers and had not given much thought to his T20 international future. The former Test captain had played just one match during Australia's home World Cup campaign last year.
"There's not a great deal of T20 internationals, so for me, Test and one-day cricket are the huge priorities with what's coming up and then we'll wait and see," Smith told reporters on Thursday.
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Trump says he called off dispatching envoys to Iran talks
Dubai (PTI): US President Donald Trump said he told his top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner not to travel to Pakistan to negotiate with Iran, stating on Fox News that "they can call us any time they want”.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports. Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade,” to allow a new round of negotiations, according to the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies in Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Araghchi is expected back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday.
Trump said Thursday that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House. The meeting was the second high-level negotiation between the two countries this month. The initial 10-day ceasefire had been due to expire Monday.
The Trump administration is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil.
The move announced Friday is part of the administration's threat to impose secondary sanctions on entities doing business with Iran in an effort to cut off Iran's oil exports, which are a key source of its revenue.
Airlines worldwide have begun cancelling flights as the war in the Middle East strains jet fuel supplies and pushes up prices. Experts have offered information to travelers about what to do if a flight is cancelled.
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports, according to Iranian media.
Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade”, to allow a new round of negotiations, the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies reported.
The Pakistani premier described the call as a “warm and constructive discussion”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi concluded a one-day trip to Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Saturday after meeting with Pakistani military and government officials.
The trip did not produce a breakthrough in efforts to relaunch negotiations after US President Donald Trump canceled a planned trip by his envoys to Islamabad.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will return to Pakistan after his current visit to Oman on his way to visiting Russia.
The report said he was expected to be back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday and would join other members of his delegation who had gone to Tehran for consultations and “instructions on the topics related to the end of the war.”
