'Poetic': Stunning David Warner act sends cricket world into frenzy

David Warner has sent a ruthless message to his former Indian Premier League (IPL) team after starring for the Delhi Capitals in a knock his captain described as "one of the best" in the team's history.

The Australia opener was adamant it wasn't some personal revenge mission against his former team Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium on Thursday.

'BRAIN FADE': Ricky Ponting trolled after Mitchell Marsh howler

'WHAT IS THAT': Aaron Finch at centre of brutal scenes in IPL

'CAN'T BELIEVE IT': Cricket world erupts over Rashid Khan moment

Regardless, Warner's match-winning unbeaten 92 off just 58 balls for Delhi would have been ever so sweet for the record-breaking batter.

Warner's innings, which featured 12 fours and three sixes - one of which was his landmark 400th maximum in all T20 cricket - helped propel his latest franchise to an emphatic 21-run win.

Among Warner's long list of boundaries was an incredible switch-hit four off a Bhuvneshwar Kumar yorker that the Aussie freakishly managed to get away to the ropes.

The Sunrisers, for whom Warner had cracked more than 4,000 IPL runs in a fruitful seven-year relationship, ended up stripping him of the captaincy and dropping him from the team altogether last season as it all turned sour.

"I didn't need extra motivation," smiled Warner, after collecting the player of the match cheque following his 54th IPL half-century and the 89th fifty of his T20 career.

"We've all seen what happened before in the past. It was just good to get the win on the board."

Warner's half century means he now has the most fifties in the history of T20 cricket - surpassing West Indies great Chris Gayle to set an incredible record in the shortest format of the game.

The team's captain Rishabh Pant said Warner’s innings “is one of the best I’ve seen for Delhi Capitals for a long period of time.”

Warner's knock lit up social media as fans from around the world hailed the 35-year-old's latest masterclass.

Warner and Powell combine to dominate Hyderabad

It was another innings that showcased both the 35-year-old's enduring excellence - and selflessness, as he urged West Indian Rovman Powell at the other end to try to keep hitting boundaries instead of giving him the strike which would surely have led to his fifth IPL hundred.

"I asked DW if I should get a single to allow his 100 but he told me, 'that's not how the game is played', and told me to go big," revealed Jamaican Powell, who cracked 18 off his own bat in that 20th over and ended up on 67no off 35 balls to power Delhi to 3-207.

The pair put on a scintillating 122-run partnership off just 66 balls, leaving Hyderabad to rue their decision to field first, but Warner admitted he was "cooked" near the end of his knock as he ran feverishly in the heat to eke out every extra run possible.

"It's challenging here and I'm getting older! Having Rovi at the other end, he's got some serious power to clear the fence. It was amazing striking," said Warner.

"Man, he hits them clean and, geez, they go a long way. Even Liam Livingstone the other day, 117 metres ... these guys are clearing these fences like anything.

"I'm getting older. I need to get back in the gym. I'm only hitting 85 metres! Hopefully I can hit one for 100 metres at some stage."

Of missing out on his hundred, he shrugged: "I said to him (Powell) if he's there at the end, we can get 210, 220. I'll leave the hundreds to Jos (Buttler)!"

Nicholas Pooran cracked 62 off 34 balls for the Sunrisers and Aiden Markram made 42, but they never threatened the Delhi total, with Mitch Marsh taking 1-36 from his four overs.

Hyderabad's Sean Abbott won his mini 'battle of the Aussies' when he had Marsh caught and bowled for 10, but he went for 47 off his four overs.

with AAP

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.