Australian superstar Steve Smith has linked up with a Pakistan Super League franchise for the first time in a significant coup for the competition.
It was announced on Tuesday night (AEDT) that Smith had signed with Sialkot Stallionz for the upcoming PSL season, which begins in March.
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It’s a massive signing for the expansion club, which will be coached by Smith’s former teammate Tim Paine for its inaugural season.
“One of the all time great players is a @PSLStallionz!!!” Paine wrote on X.
“Huge for our franchise and @thePSLt20.”
It comes days after Smith was overlooked for Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign, despite his excellent recent form in the Ashes Test series and, more pertinently, Big Bash League.
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After dominating England with the bad in the red-ball format, Smith found stellar BBL form, blasting 299 runs at 59.80 with a strike rate of 167.97 from just six games for the Sydney Sixers. But Smith was pipped in the Australian T20 squad by Matthew Renshaw, who was named in the BBL15 team of the tournament after scoring 324 runs and chipping in with five wickets from 10 games for the Brisbane Heat.
Australian legend Mark Waugh was left stunned by the call, suggesting Smith “on current form, should be the first player picked” for Australia.
“It really does defy logic that Steve Smith is not in the World Cup squad,” he tweeted.
“Get him in there, as simple as that.”
National selector Tony Dodemaide said Smith was “very much in contention” to be called up “if a replacement (player) is required”.
“Steve is an exceptional player who has worked very hard on his short-form game and was rewarded with a great stint in the Big Bash batting at the top for the Sixers,” Dodemaide told reporters on Saturday.
“The current T20 top order has been very successful building into this tournament so we feel we’re well-placed in that area.”
Smith is set to again play in the Major League US cricket competition this year. He’s also previously played for Welsh Fire (UK Hundred) and five IPL franchises.
Paine isn’t the only Australian coaching in the PSL, with ex-quick Jason Gillespie appointed coach of the new Hyderabad franchise.
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