Former Australia fast-bowler Mitchell Johnson has hit out at Cricket Australia for inviting him to an award function just days after the cricketing body cancelled two of his keynote speaking engagements.

CA cancelled Johnson’s two key-note speaking events following his controversial remarks over Australia opener David Warner receiving a farewell Test series against Pakistan.

Johnson posted a story on Instagram, which included a screenshot of his invite to a CA event, asking if CA was serious for inviting him for an event just a week after cancelling his speaking engagements.

“Is Cricket Australia serious? Last week I was cancelled from 2 speaking engagements. This week I’m invited to celebrate with them,” Johnson wrote on Instagram, including a screenshot of the invite.

In his column for The Western Australia, Johnson had opined that Warner did not admit to his role in the Sandpaper Gate scandal and his decision to ask for a farewell Test reeks of arrogance and disrespect towards the nation.

“As we prepare for David Warner’s farewell series, can somebody please tell me why? Why a struggling Test opener gets to nominate his own retirement date? And why a player at the center of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero’s send-off?

“It’s the ball-tampering disgrace in South Africa that many will never forget. Although Warner wasn’t alone in Sandpaper Gate, he was at the time a senior member of the team and someone who liked to use his perceived power as a ‘leader’. Does this really warrant a swansong, a last hurrah against Pakistan that was forecast a year in advance as if he was bigger than the game and the Australian cricket team?” Johnson wrote.

Following Johnson’s criticism, Warner scored 164 runs in the first innings against Pakistan as Australia won the first Test by 360 runs in Perth.