Published on: Apr 8, 2026 3:01 pm IST|Updated on: Apr 8, 2026 4:05 pm IST
Former Australian opening batter David Warner was arrested on Sunday in Sydney on a charge of drink driving after failing a breathalyzer test. The 39-year-old, who was captaining Karachi Kings in Pakistan Super League (PSL 2026), was released from the squad after their third fixture to spend time with his family. Warner returned home to Sydney only to get arrested after he was found to be over twice the legal limit.
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The incident took place in Sydney on Sunday when David’s car was stopped by police during a random inspection. He was found guilty of drunk driving after failing a breathalyzer test. Soon, he was taken to the Marouba Police Station after the reports confirmed that David was more than twice the legal alcohol limit. As per reports from the Daily Mail, Warner was pulled over by New South Wales Police at approximately 5:30 pm on Sunday, April 5, in the suburb of Maroubra. Officers grew suspicious when a van, allegedly driven by the cricketer, stopped and parked just short of the stationary testing site on Malabar Road.
“He was arrested and taken to Maroubra Police Station where a second test allegedly returned a reading of 0.104,” the official police statement confirmed.
Warner is set to appear for a court hearing on May 7, 2026, in Sydney, but it won’t affect his PSL participation, as the left-hander is expected to return to Pakistan as planned. After his arrest, Cricket New South Wales CEO Lee Germon had his say,
“Cricket NSW is a strong advocate of safe driving, including avoiding drink driving, and takes incidents of this nature very seriously. 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.”
However, Karachi Kings have not given any statement regarding Warner’s arrest.
Warner had been granted permission by Karachi Kings to return home for personal reasons during a week‑long break in fixtures. The franchise, which he captains, last played on April 2, when Warner scored a 36-ball 50 in a win over the Rawalpindiz. Their next game is scheduled for April 9 in Karachi. Despite the arrest, Warner is expected to rejoin the squad for that fixture.
Besides Warner, two other Karachi Kings players, Adam Zampa and Azam Khan, have also been given a break. Adam has been given a holiday break, whereas Azam is due to attend a family function. Kings play their next PSL 2026 fixture on April 9 against the Peshawar Zalmis.
Warner’s arrest comes at a time when road safety campaigns are strongly emphasized in Australian cricket. The Road Safety Cup, contested annually between Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat, has been one of New South Wales’ most effective platforms for promoting responsible driving. Warner’s involvement in such initiatives makes the incident particularly notable. We have to wait for the Sydney court’s verdict, which is set to be given on May 7.