• Source:JND
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Australia opener David Warner, who is set to play his final bilateral international series against New Zealand, is not expecting to have a warming farewell from the fans in Wellington and Auckland.

Australia are set to play a three-match T20I series against New Zealand at the two venues. Warner, who bid adieu to Test cricket and ODIs, is familiar with the harsh nature of the New Zealand crowd due to the fierce cricket rivalry between the two neighbouring nations.

"Over here, it's always the harsh reality that we're neighbours, in sport we like to beat each other," Warner told reporters in the New Zealand capital on Monday.

"From that perspective, we're going to be expecting the crowd to come at us as hard as they come. As we always say, it's in one ear, out the other - if I actually hear anything," he added.

Warner had earlier described Kiwi fans as “derogatory and pretty vulgar” after the Aussies were targeted for abuse during the 2016 tour. The left-handed batter said that the crowd's response would not affect his batting and he is ready to give his best shot in the series.

“I enjoy playing here. It’s about coming out and trying to put my best foot forward, and score runs. The crowd, yeah, they got personal, but if they have to get personal, that’s their character ... if you want to pay your money to come and abuse people, you have to go back and lay in your own bed," Warner said.

“We’re here to play the game of cricket that we love, enjoy and put bums on seats to keep the game going,” he added.

The 37-year-old said he will continue playing in T20 franchise leagues around the world for the next couple of years and has no plan of joining politics.

“Yeah, look, I’ll leave that for another time. I think I’d get absolutely grilled if I was to go into politics," he said.

Warner will retire from T20I cricket after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the USA in June.