The move is just ahead of Major League Cricket season in the US
11 April 2024 - 16:05
byAadi Nair
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Australia's Steve Smith during practice at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, November 18 2023. Picture: REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
Bengaluru - Australia batter Steve Smith will play for Washington Freedom in the second season of Major League Cricket in the US, the MLC team said on Thursday.
Smith, who has played just four Twenty20 internationals for Australia since the start of 2023, went unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction held in December 2023. He competed for the Sydney Sixers in the 2023/24 Big Bash League (BBL).
Ricky Ponting. Picture: REUTERS
The 34-year-old will be reunited with former teammate Ricky Ponting, who was appointed coach of Washington Freedom in February.
In 2023, Smith was named brand ambassador to Washington Freedom, who have a high-performance partnership with New South Wales, his domestic team in Australia.
Washington Freedom finished third in the inaugural season of the six-team T20 tournament. The second edition of MLC is set to begin on July 4, following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in the US and West Indies.
• Australia spinner Adam Zampa says he withdrew from the Indian Premier League (IPL) because he felt drained after 2023’s heavy schedule and wanted to rest before the Twenty20 World Cup in June.
Zampa turned out for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL in 2023 and also played a key role in Australia’s triumph at the 50-overs World Cup in India. He was due to play for the Royals again this season, but withdrew in March.
“I think the most important [reason] was that it’s a World Cup year and I’m completely drained from 2023,” Zampa said on the “Willow Talk” podcast on Wednesday.
“I did the full IPL last year. The World Cup was three months in India, as well.
“I had the best intentions of trying to play the IPL again this year. But once push came to shove, I felt like I just couldn’t really offer the Rajasthan Royals the best version of myself and looking forward to the World Cup, that’s what’s more important to me.”
Zampa competed with spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin for a place in Rajasthan’s squad last season and played just six matches.
The 32-year-old said the uncertainty over his spot in the starting line-up was another reason for his withdrawal.
“It’s not like I can say to myself, ‘Well, that’s all right, I’ve got 14 games to prepare for a World Cup’,” he said.
“I don’t know whether that’s actually going to be two games or four games or six games. I worked out that maybe putting my family first, putting my body first was better for me.”
Australia, seeking their second T20 World Cup title at this year’s tournament play group matches against Oman, England, Namibia and Scotland before the Super 8s and knockout stages.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Aussie batsman Smith joins Washington Freedom
The move is just ahead of Major League Cricket season in the US
Bengaluru - Australia batter Steve Smith will play for Washington Freedom in the second season of Major League Cricket in the US, the MLC team said on Thursday.
Smith, who has played just four Twenty20 internationals for Australia since the start of 2023, went unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction held in December 2023. He competed for the Sydney Sixers in the 2023/24 Big Bash League (BBL).
The 34-year-old will be reunited with former teammate Ricky Ponting, who was appointed coach of Washington Freedom in February.
In 2023, Smith was named brand ambassador to Washington Freedom, who have a high-performance partnership with New South Wales, his domestic team in Australia.
Washington Freedom finished third in the inaugural season of the six-team T20 tournament. The second edition of MLC is set to begin on July 4, following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in the US and West Indies.
• Australia spinner Adam Zampa says he withdrew from the Indian Premier League (IPL) because he felt drained after 2023’s heavy schedule and wanted to rest before the Twenty20 World Cup in June.
Zampa turned out for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL in 2023 and also played a key role in Australia’s triumph at the 50-overs World Cup in India. He was due to play for the Royals again this season, but withdrew in March.
“I think the most important [reason] was that it’s a World Cup year and I’m completely drained from 2023,” Zampa said on the “Willow Talk” podcast on Wednesday.
“I did the full IPL last year. The World Cup was three months in India, as well.
“I had the best intentions of trying to play the IPL again this year. But once push came to shove, I felt like I just couldn’t really offer the Rajasthan Royals the best version of myself and looking forward to the World Cup, that’s what’s more important to me.”
Zampa competed with spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin for a place in Rajasthan’s squad last season and played just six matches.
The 32-year-old said the uncertainty over his spot in the starting line-up was another reason for his withdrawal.
“It’s not like I can say to myself, ‘Well, that’s all right, I’ve got 14 games to prepare for a World Cup’,” he said.
“I don’t know whether that’s actually going to be two games or four games or six games. I worked out that maybe putting my family first, putting my body first was better for me.”
Australia, seeking their second T20 World Cup title at this year’s tournament play group matches against Oman, England, Namibia and Scotland before the Super 8s and knockout stages.
Reuters
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