David Warner has channelled his inner Cristiano Ronaldo after breaking out of his form slump at the T20 World Cup with a half-century against Sri Lanka.
The Australian veteran slammed a half-century in his side’s seven-wicket win and took to the podium to talk to reporters when he came face-to-face with some Coca-Cola bottles.
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Like Ronaldo famously did at this year’s Euros, Warner initially removed the bottles saying, “If it is good for Cristiano, it is good for me”.
Unfortunately for the Australian opener, the two bottles of soft drink eventually returned to the table after he was asked to put them back.
The soft drink giant is one of the main sponsors of this year’s T20 World Cup, having entered into a five-year relationship with the ICC, with Coca-Cola brands the ICC’s exclusive non-alcoholic beverage partner until 2023 under the current deal.
Ronaldo’s stunt, which came after Portugal’s clash against Hungary at the Euros in June, reportedly resulted in a staggering $5.2 billion share price drop for Coca-Cola.
UEFA issued a statement after Ronaldo told fans to “drink water” instead, saying “everyone is entitled to their drink preferences” with “different tastes and needs”.
“Players are offered water, alongside Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, on arrival at our press conferences and can choose their preferred beverage,” the statement said.
Warner had come into the contest against Sri Lanka downplaying concerns surrounding his lean patch of form, and he reiterated the same point after the match.
“Everyone was talking about my form, which I reiterated was not a thing I was worried about,” he said.
“It was about going out there and starting well. That’s all we’re trying to do, apply pressure to the bowlers.
“Shutting the critics down? No, never. That’s the world of sport. When you ride the highs, you’ve got to ride the lows and you’ve got to stay confident, keep a smile on your face, and never let it get to you.”