16 August,2024 10:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Steve Smith (Pic: File Pic)
After having a stellar campaign at the Major League Cricket, star Australia batsman Steve Smith is hopeful of making an Indian Premier League return in the 2025 edition.
Steve Smith was snubbed from Australia's squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 and also for the upcoming tours of Scotland and England. In MLC, he helped Washington Freedom to win their maiden title, finishing the tournament as the franchise's equal leading run-scorer with 336 runs at a strike rate of 148.67.
Facing 52 balls in the finals against San Francisco Unicorns, Steve Smith smashed 88 runs. He accumulated these many runs against the bowling attack consisting of the likes of Pat Cummins and Haris Rauf.
"I'd certainly love another opportunity at IPL. I'll be throwing my name in the hat, and we'll see how we go, Smith was quoted as saying by FOX Cricket.
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"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".
Since the 2021 edition, Steve Smith has gone unsold in the IPL. With the national selectors preferring youngsters, the veteran also opened up on his axing and said he would go about his business trying to get better.
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 2024). I quite enjoyed it."
(With PTI Inputs)
