CPL 2018: Steve Smith ruled out of the tournament

Suspended Australia cricket team skipper Steve Smith is heading home from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) due to an abdominal strain. He played for the Barbados Tridents this season and has pulled an abdominal muscle which has ruled him out of the rest of the tournament. He was signed up by the franchise as the replacement player for Shakib Al Hasan.

Smith and his Australian teammate Warner received 12-month bans for their wrongdoings in the ball tampering scandal that took place in South Africa earlier this year. However, the ban is restricted only to international matches, and the flamboyant batting duo can participate in overseas and independent leagues.

Upon his return to home, Smith will prepare for the Sydney Grade season with Sutherland according to Cricbuzz. His first match of the season is on September 22. Smith scored 185 runs at 26.42 in the CPL and also chipped in with three wickets. The Tridents are currently the wooden-spooners of the points table and have no chances of making it to the knockouts.

Global T20 Canada – Smith’s return to cricket

Before the CPL, Smith made a return to cricket (post his ban) in the Global T20 Canada, and scored a half-century in his very first game. Playing for the Toronto Nationals, he scored 167 runs from 6 games at an average of 33.40. Although Smith’s team finished last, he fared decently with two half-centuries in the tournament.

He seems to be regaining his confidence and Test cricket, which lacks quality batsmen in challenging conditions these days, will be eagerly awaiting the return of the best batsman in the world at present. But for now, fans will have to make peace with the fact that upcoming India’s tour of Australia will be devoid of a battle between the two best Test batsmen in the world – Virat Kohli and Steve Smith.

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