Australia’s star batter Steve Smith has failed to secure a place in the T20 World Cup squad despite delivering strong performances in the T20 format over the past two years.
Smith last played a T20 international for Australia in early 2024. Following the Ashes, he produced a remarkable run in the Big Bash League, scoring a blistering 100 off just 42 balls and then following it up with another match-winning knock of 54 runs, which helped his team reach the qualifier final.
Since February 2024, Smith has scored two centuries and five half-centuries in T20 cricket. During this period, he has accumulated 819 runs at an impressive average of 51.18 and a strike rate of 156. Despite these numbers, he does not appear to be part of Australia’s long-term plans for the limited-overs formats.
Smith has accepted his exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad, though he has expressed a desire to represent Australia at the Los Angeles Olympics.
It is worth noting that, similar to the ODI format, Smith has not officially retired from T20 internationals. However, selectors seem to have moved on as they focus on building for the future.
While changes to the provisional T20 World Cup squad are possible until January 31, any alterations can only be made in the event of an injury, making Smith’s return to the squad highly unlikely.
