He’s a legend of the sport particularly in the game’s classic long format and he’s been hanging out long enough to trouble bowlers and give headaches to rising and established opponents wielding the cricket ball but Test cricket great Steven Smith now has brand new responsibility that he’ll be shouldering for the comfort and utility of the Australian T20 side.
Australia have drafted in veteran batter Steve Smith as a replacement for injured pacer Josh Hazlewood ahead of their crucial ICC T20 World Cup 2026 clash against Sri Lanka in Colombo, further reshaping a squad already dealing with multiple fitness concerns. Hazlewood has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with a calf injury after medical staff were unable to bring him back to full fitness in time. The fast bowler’s absence is a significant setback for Australia, given his experience and reliability in pressure situations. Smith, 36, now becomes the 15th member of an injury-hit squad that has been forced into several adjustments early in the competition.
The New South Wales cricketer Steven Smith had initially travelled to Sri Lanka as cover for captain Mitchell Marsh, who missed Australia’s opening two matches while recovering from a testicular injury. With Hazlewood officially sidelined, team management opted to retain the seasoned batter in the squad to bolster depth and experience.
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The former skipper trained with the side on Sunday (February 15) and is under consideration for selection in the high-stakes encounter.
Although the legendary right hander Smith has not played a T20 International since February last year, he has remained active in domestic competitions and is understood to be in good touch in the format. His recent outings at the domestic level have helped him stay match-ready, providing Australia with a dependable option as they look to stabilise their campaign and navigate a challenging phase marked by injuries to key players.
In what lies ahead- Australia will yearn to come back strong after the brutal disappointment of their recent loss to Zimbabwe in their group in the T20 World Cup. Can Smith, therefore, add more gravitas and that touch of class that’s needed desperately by his team?
