Shane Warne backs David Warner to be the player of 2019 ICC World Cup

Legendary spinner Shane Warne believes suspended batsman David Warner can dominate this year's International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup, which is slated to take place in England and Wales from May 30 to July 14. 

The 32-year-old, whose one-year long ban for his involvement in the massive ball-tampering scandal in South Africa is all set to expire on March 28, made a successful return following an elbow injury during a clash in Sydney's Premier Cricket competition. 

Warner smashed a blistering knock of 110 off just 77 balls, decorated with seven sixes and four boundaries, for Randwick-Petersham club in a match against Penrith. 

With Smith and Warner both likely to make a return to the top level domestic cricket with Indian Premier League (IPL) after being omitted from five ODIs against Pakistan, Warne called on the pair to make a comeback hungrier than ever. 

Warne further backed the Australian duo to display a similar kind of performance as he did in 2004 and 2005 when he bagged a total of 166 wickets, including 40 in the Ashes series, in a total of 27 Tests he played during the two years.

"All I can go on is experience having a year off myself.The next four years were the best I ever had.I was hungry for the game. My body and mind were fresh and it is amazing how excited you are to play again," cricket.com.au quoted Warne as saying to the Telegraph. 

"You get excited just going to the nets again because you have taken it for granted in the past so I think they will come back better than they were," he added. 

He then tipped Warner to emerge as the player of the tournament at the 50-over mega event.

"They are going to come out and destroy attacks and I back David Warner to be the player of the World Cup," the former spinner said.

Australia will begin their ICC World Cup campaign against Afghanistan in Bristol on June 1.