News

David Warner Charged with Drink Driving in Sydney

Tanay Hughes · 07/04/2026 · 2 min read

David Warner Charged with Drink Driving in Sydney

Former Australia opener David Warner was arrested in Sydney on Sunday on a charge of drink driving after failing a breathalyser test. According to AAP, Warner, 39, was over twice the legal limit to be able to drive when he was stopped for a random test by police.

He was arrested and taken to Maroubra Police Station. Warner, who is currently participating in the Pakistan Super League, was granted permission to return to Australia for personal reasons for a week during a gap in the schedule for the Karachi Kings franchise, which he is captain of.

Warner’s PSL Schedule Unaffected

The Kings last played on April 2, with Warner scoring a half-century during a win over Rawalpindiz. The Kings’ next game is on April 9. ESPNcricinfo understands the arrest does not impede his plans to return to Pakistan as scheduled, and is expected to be available for that game.

It will be the Kings’ first match at their home venue in Karachi, with Warner’s side the only team to boast a perfect record at the PSL this year, having won all three matches.

Reaction from Cricket New South Wales

Cricket New South Wales, which runs Thunder, and Transport for NSW have maintained a 23-year partnership, which culminated in the Road Safety Cup. The annual contest, which began in 2023, pits Thunder and Brisbane Heat against each other while shining a spotlight on road safety.

“Cricket NSW is a strong advocate of safe driving, including avoiding drink driving, and takes incidents of this nature very seriously,” Lee Germon, the NSW CEO said in a statement on Wednesday.

“David is aware of the seriousness of these allegations. We will support him through the upcoming process and work together on further educating him and all players on the importance of safe driving.”

Upcoming Court Appearance

Warner is due to appear in court on May 7 in Sydney. The timing means it should not affect his availability for the remainder of the PSL, with the tournament final on 3 May in Lahore.

The Kings declined to make official comment on the matter when approached by ESPNcricinfo.

Tanay Hughes

Tanay Hughes is a senior cricket correspondent for the Daily FT, Sri Lanka’s leading financial daily. Of Burgher descent, Hughes grew up steeped in the island’s rich literary and cricketing traditions. He covers the national team, the World Test Championship, and the domestic circuit with a special focus on spin bowling and the transformation of cricket infrastructure after the civil war. His work also explores the business side of the sport, including broadcasting deals and the financial pressures on smaller Test-playing nations. A Colombo native and University of Colombo graduate, Hughes is a regular voice on Sri Lankan television panels and contributes to The Cricketer and Wisden online.