David Warner, one of the biggest entertainers with the bat in international cricket, has been announced by Kathmandu Gorkhas as one of their foreign signings for the third season of the Nepal Premier League. The franchise revealed Warner, through a video message from the legend of the game himself, through their social media on Tuesday afternoon.

“Hi everyone, I am really excited to be coming to Nepal and joining the Kathmandu Gorkhas squad. I know it has been an incredibly difficult time for so many, and I hope that the NPL could bring some joy and give people something to come together,” Warner said in the video posted by the Gorkhas. “I have heard so much about the passion and the fans. I can’t wait to experience it all. I can’t wait to meet you and get out there and be with my team.”

“Three cities, one soul, one team and one dream. Ayo Gorkhali!” Warner ends his video message to his fans in Nepal.

Without a doubt, Warner is the biggest signing in the NPL so far, including the first two seasons. The reason: Warner is a two-time ODI World Cup winner (2015 and 2023), a one-time T20 World Cup winner (2021) and a one-time World Test Championship winner (2021-23) with Australia. Moreover, when Australia won the 2011 T20 World Cup, Warner was the ‘Player of the Series’.

It was on Thursday night when the Gorkhas dropped a hint for the fans with a photo of two trophies—ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup. There are many names that could fit this clue, but when the Gorkhas uploaded a photo of a necklace with number ‘31’ on Saturday, it got clear that Warner was coming. Today it was confirmed.

And the Gorkhas say that the whole team is proud to have brought one of the biggest names in global cricket to the home of Nepali cricket—the TU International Cricket Ground.

“This moment is deeply personal to me as well,” said Anubhab Swar Sirohiya, executive director of Kathmandu Gorkhas. “Bringing David Warner to the Kathmandu Gorkhas was not something that happened overnight. It took months of conversations, persistence and belief from everyone involved. There were many moments when it felt difficult, but the possibility of seeing a player of his stature represent Kathmandu and play at the TU Cricket Ground made every effort worthwhile.”

“This is much bigger than one signing or one franchise. If bringing a global icon like David Warner to Nepal can inspire young players, excite our supporters, attract greater international attention and contribute in some way to the growth of Nepali cricket, then it will be one of the most meaningful things I have had the privilege of being part of,” Sirohiya added. “This is for Nepali cricket. And above all, this is for every cricket fan in Nepal who has always believed that our country and our game deserve the biggest stage.”

Warner has played 112 Tests, 161 ODIs and 110 T20Is for Australia, scoring around 19,000 international runs with 49 centuries—26 in Tests, 22 in ODIs and one in T20. At a strike rate of 142+ alone, Warner has scored 3,277 runs.

Warner also has the second-highest score as an Australian batter in Test cricket: 335 not out against Pakistan at Adelaide in 2019.

Alongside international cricket, Warner has also shown his magic in franchise cricket all around the world.

Warner was the highest run scorer in the 2015, 2017 and 2019 seasons of the Indian Premier League, the biggest franchise cricket tournament in the world. He has scored 500+ runs in seven seasons of the IPL, helping Sunrisers Hyderabad lift the title in 2016 as the captain. When he was not with Hyderabad, Warner was with Delhi.

Now, Warner’s magic will be witnessed first-hand by Nepali supporters at the biggest cricket tournament of the country, which begins from October 26 to November 21.