NEW DELHI: After a stupendous show the Major League Cricket, veteran Australian batter Steve Smith is keen to make a comeback in the Indian Premier League (IPL) next year.
At 35, Smith led Washington Freedom to their first MLC title, ending the T20 tournament as the franchise’s co-leading run-scorer with 336 runs at a strike rate of 148.67.
Smith’s standout performance came in the final against the San Francisco Unicorns, where he scored an 88 off 52 balls against bowlers like Australian captain Pat Cummins and Pakistan’s Haris Rauf.
Smith’s effort earned him the player-of-the-match award in the final.
“I’d certainly love another opportunity at IPL. I’ll be throwing my name in the ring, and we’ll see how we go,” Smith was quoted as saying by FOX Cricket.
“I feel like in every opportunity I’ve had in T20 cricket recently and franchise stuff, I’ve played quite nicely. So hopefully I just keep putting my name up there and enjoying it.”
Smith has not played in the IPL since 2021, having gone unsold in the last two auctions.
Despite being overlooked for the T20 World Cup and the upcoming tours of Scotland and England, Smith remains optimistic.
“In terms of international T20s, I don’t know what’s going on there,” Smith said.
“They’ve obviously got some people they want to bring in, and that’s fine.
“I understood the way that they wanted to stack up for the World Cup, with all the strong guys that smack it miles. I understood that.
“I’m not that fussed. I’ll just go about my business, keep trying to improve and get better.”
Asked about giving a shot at winning gold at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, Smith said: “That’s still a while away as well, so we’ll wait and see. Never say never.
“I did watch quite a bit (of the Paris Olympics). I quite enjoyed it.”
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Publish date : 2024-08-16 16:44:50
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