David Warner is an Australian opening batter who will represent Kathmandu Gorkhas in NPL Season 3, the franchise's marquee overseas signing announced on 15 September 2026. The 39-year-old left-hander has nearly 19,000 international runs and 49 centuries, owns two ODI World Cups and a T20 World Cup title, and was named Player of the Tournament in 2021. No batter has topped the IPL run charts in more seasons: his Orange Caps of 2015, 2017 and 2019 stand alone, and he captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to the 2016 crown.
In the Nepal Premier League 2026, Warner gives Kathmandu the most decorated top order in the tournament, and everything about the Gorkhas' Season 3 batting will be built around his starts.
About David Warner
David Warner is the marquee overseas signing of Kathmandu’s Season 3: a 39-year-old opener with nearly 19,000 international runs and 49 centuries across 112 Tests, 161 ODIs and 110 T20 internationals.
Announced on 15 September 2026 after a teasing social-media campaign built around his number 31, he brings two ODI World Cups and a T20 World Cup title — he was Player of the Tournament in 2021 — to the top of the Gorkhas order.
No batter has topped the IPL run charts in more seasons: his Orange Caps in 2015, 2017 and 2019 stand alone in the league’s record books, and he captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to the 2016 crown. His 49 international centuries include a Test triple hundred — the statistical signature of a man who never let age or format slow his scoring.
Player details
| Full name | David Warner |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Playing role | Batter |
| Batting style | Left-hand bat |
Playing style and strengths
Warner bats left-handed and opens with the same intent he has carried for two decades: the first six overs are his scoring window, and he hunts boundaries from the first ball rather than building into an innings. He is one of the finest players of the short ball in the modern game — his pull and hook off the back foot are signature shots — and he cuts hard off the front foot through point, scoring square of the wicket on both sides of the ground.
Against spin he uses his feet early, refusing to be tied down by the middle-overs squeeze, and his strike rotation keeps the board moving even when the boundary ball does not arrive. He is also a gun fielder, consistently rated among the best outfielders of his generation, which gives Karan KC the option of stationing him in the ring during the powerplay or on the rope when a breakthrough is needed. At 39, hand speed and timing remain his weapons; he wins T20 matches by turning the first 24 balls of an innings into fifty runs.
David Warner's role at Kathmandu Gorkhas in Season 3
He opens the batting — that is the entire recruitment logic. Kathmandu’s Season 3 design hands its three overseas slots to top-order certainty: Warner at the top, KS Bharat keeping wicket and batting in the top four, and Sahan Arachchige’s left-handed middle-order power as the third. Around them, the retained domestic core of Bhim Sharki, Mohammad Aadil Alam and Santosh Yadav can play their natural games instead of carrying the innings.
At Kirtipur, where the new ball can trouble young openers early, Warner’s experience sets the tone: if he survives the first four overs, the Gorkhas can post or chase the biggest totals in the tournament. His subtler value is as a live demonstration — domestic batters like Suryanshu Koirala get a front-row view of how a 383-match international constructs a T20 innings, from powerplay target selection to death-overs pacing.
David Warner at NPL 2026
| Season | Team | Matches | Runs | HS | Avg | Wkts | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kathmandu Gorkhas | Season not yet played | |||||
Records & achievements
- 49 international centuries and nearly 19,000 international runs across 112 Tests, 161 ODIs and 110 T20 internationals
- Winner of the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cups; 2021 T20 World Cup champion and Player of the Tournament; World Test Championship winner
- The only batter to top the IPL run charts in three seasons (2015, 2017 and 2019); captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to the 2016 title
- Announced as Kathmandu’s marquee overseas signing on 15 September 2026
- His 49 international centuries include a Test triple hundred
Frequently Asked Questions
Which team does David Warner play for in NPL Season 3?
David Warner plays for Kathmandu Gorkhas as the franchise’s marquee overseas signing.
What are David Warner’s international numbers?
Nearly 19,000 international runs and 49 centuries across 112 Tests, 161 ODIs and 110 T20 internationals.
How old is David Warner?
He is 39.
When was the Warner signing announced?
The signing was announced on 15 September 2026.
Follow Kathmandu Gorkhas
Kathmandu Gorkhas squad lists every player and their Season 3 recruitment status. Auction prices record the listed auction transaction only, not a career salary or a retained-player fee. Season 3 runs October 26 to November 21, 2026, with all Kathmandu home games at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.
Sources and verification
Checked 8 October 2026. Records describe the dated reports linked here; a signing does not guarantee selection or availability for every match.
- David Warner signs for Kathmandu Gorkhas ahead of NPL Season 3, CricTracker
- David Warner joins Kathmandu Gorkhas for NPL 2026, CricNepal
- David Warner Joins Kathmandu Gorkhas for Nepal Premier League Season 3, HamroBichar
- Foreign stars expand NPL's reach (Warner career record, Airee and coach reaction), Cricket Kitchen