Stand-in Australian skipper –David Warner, who led his side to the 2017–18 Trans-Tasman Tri-Series win in Auckland on Wednesday (21 February) against New Zealand, said he is currently over the moon after proving all the critics wrong regarding Australia’s state in T20 cricket with this convincing Tri-series triumph.

On Wednesday in the final of the seven-match T20I Tri-series, featuring England as well, D Arcy Short's gritty half-century (50 off 30 balls) and Ashton Agar's match-winning figures 3-27 helped Australia to clinch the series by winning the Auckland T20I by 19 runs (DLS method due to rain) against No. 1 ranked T20 side at Eden Park.

Warner said that Australia, who have won all matches of the Trans-Tasman Tri-Series, have proved all talks wrong about not taking T20s seriously by winning the series, as well as proved the great depth they have in Australian cricket.

According to a report in The Telegraph, Warner told reporters at the post-match ceremony, “I'm over the moon. I asked the guys to be clinical and to try and execute everything with the bat and ball with energy. We look back at the last 18 to 24 months, people talk about us not taking T20s seriously. I couldn't be any happier with this side. It just proves the great depth we have in Australian cricket. If you can execute your skills at Big Bash level, there's no reason you cannot do that here too.”

Meanwhile, the Aussie opener also lauded all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who was adjudged the Player of the Series for his 233-runs, “I'm very happy for him and very pleased. You could see it hurt him to get dropped form that one-day team and obviously vying for Test selection at the start of the summer. He's the type of player who goes back, gets on with it and trains to make sure he's getting the numbers on the board.”

Warner signed off by saying, “He's put the numbers on the board time and time again this year and we're really happy with where he is and his mental state with the game as well.”