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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday that they had unanimously decided to move forward without Pietersen.
He had been left out of the England squads for their upcoming one-day international tour of the West Indies and the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.
Warner was speaking at SuperSport Park, in Centurion, ahead of his side's three-Test series against South Africa, when the subject turned to the controversial England batsman.
"As a player of his class, it's disappointing he obviously can't play in the (T20) World Cup," Warner said.
"I'm pretty sure he would have loved to play in that.
"It's quite sad."
While Australia had just come off a 5-0 drubbing of England in the Ashes, which included Pietersen in the line-up, Warner said there was no doubt about the 33-year-old's class.
"He's an excellent player who's scored a lot of runs," the Australian batsman said.
"I know as a player when you see Pietersen walk out to bat, you never know what to expect.
"The guy could get a hundred off 50 balls or get a hundred off 200 balls.
"He's a world-class player.
"It's sad that he had to go out that way.
"I'm sure all the boys loved watching him, and we wish him all the best with whatever comes along in his life now."
