Warner to head back home from BPL with elbow injury

An elbow injury will keep David Warner out of Sylhet Sixers' BPL campaign from January 21, according to Cricket Australia. Warner will return to Australia where he is likely to need six weeks to recover from the injury.

"David has reported some pain in his right elbow. He will return to Australia on January 21 to be assessed, but is expected to play in the remaining BPL matches until his return. We will have a clearer understanding of the extent of the injury once he has been assessed," a CA spokesperson said.

Warner, who is the Sixers captain, will play two more matches for them, on January 18 and 19, before flying back home which will make him miss their last five league games. It will be a big blow for Sixers as Warner has been their second-highest run-scorer so far and they are placed second from bottom on the points table. Against defending champions Rangpur Riders on Wednesday night, Warner had also batted right-handed for three deliveries during his 36-ball 61 against Chris Gayle, hitting him for 6, 4 and 4.

Warner follows Steven Smith back to Australia after the Comilla Victorians captain was also ruled out due to an elbow injury. Unlike Smith, whose international return may be delayed because of his elbow surgery, Warner could still be on track to represent Australia as soon as his ban for ball-tampering finishes on March 28. Australia will take on Pakistan around that time in a one-day series which will potentially clash with the IPL, which will begin on March 23.