Warner signs off from IPL in style

David Warner has signed off from the IPL in swashbuckling style, blasting 81 from 56 balls to help Sunrisers Hyderabad to a 45-run victory over Kings XI Punjab.

Warner, who will return home this week to begin preparations for Australia's World Cup campaign in England and Wales, has made a stunning return to the tournament following his 12-month suspension.

The left-hander has scored a league-leading 692 runs in his 12 innings for the Sunrisers, 172 more runs than any other player, including eight fifties and a century.

He will now head to Australia in red-hot form for his reintroduction to the national side at a pre-tournament camp in Brisbane this week.

"I think it just goes back to being still as a batsman,” he said.

“I get the tendency to moving around a bit if there have been a few dots. But I have worked hard over the last few months.

"Just put the bat down and tried to be the best man I can be, the best husband I can be and that's worked for me."

After being put in to bat by Kings XI skipper Ravi Ashwin, Warner, who was named man of the match, and Wriddhiman Saha put on 78 for the first wicket.

Manish Pandey (36) put on another 82 runs with Warner, as the pair tore into the bowling of teenaged Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

The 18-year-old finished with figures of 0-66 from four overs, the worst by an overseas player in the league's history.

Warner's blitzkrieg, which included seven fours and two sixes, was ended by Ashwin in the 16th over and the Sunrisers added a further 49 runs for the loss of three more wickets to close on an imposing 6-212.

The Sunrisers got off to the perfect start with the ball when Pandey took a superb diving catch off Khaleel Ahmed to dismiss Chris Gayle for four.

Opener KL Rahul batted superbly for his 79, but failed to receive any notable support as the Kings side lost wickets at regular intervals to finish their innings at 8-167.

Hyderabad’s opening pair of Warner and England batsman Jonny Bairstow, who also left home for World Cup preparations last week, have formed the bulk of their success so far.

The Aussie-English duo gave the team many blazing starts including IPL's best ever opening stand of 185 last month and skipper Kane Williamson praised their efforts.

"They have been world class throughout this whole campaign for us and put us in really strong positions," said Williamson.

"There is still lot of work to do. It has to be a collective effort. Very hard to fill someone's boots directly, (but) the team will have to pick up some slack and perform our roles like any other day."