Australian star Steve Smith has led MLC side Washington Freedom to their maiden MLC title maintaining a blistering record with the bat throughout the competition. 

Washington defeated San Francisco Unicorns twice in the playoffs, first in the Qualifier and then the Final to clinch the title at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas. 

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Smith batted brilliantly in the final game, scoring an uneaten 88 in just 52 balls after losing the toss and made to bat first. Fireworks from Glenn Maxwell down the order helped WAF set a massive 208-run target for the Unicorns to chase. However, stunning bowling from Rachin Ravindra and Marco Jansen bundled out SFU for just 111 runs. 

Smith’s consistent performances throughout the competition has resulted in the Aussie batter finishing as the second top-scorer of MLC 2024 behind South African batter, Faf du Plessis. 

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Will Smith play for Australia again in T20Is?

Smith’s fantastic campaign as a batter and captain in MLC might open doors for his return for Australia in T20I cricket. The 35-year-old had missed the 15-man squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, wherein Australia bowed out of the competition in the Super 8s after a shocking loss to Afghanistan and eventual champions, India. 

After such a disappointing campaign, Australia would be looking forward to some changes in the T20I squad, and with Smith in such a fine touch in the MLC, it won’t be outlandish to think he might be part of Australia’s T20I squad sooner rather than later.

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When did Steve Smith last play for Australia in T20Is?

Steve Smith last featured in a T20I game for Australia back in November 2023 when the Kangaroos faced India in a T20I series after becoming the newly crowned ODI World Cup champions. 

Smith has possessed a decent record playing for Australia in T20Is, although the numbers are nowhere near to the kind of batting the veteran has displayed in Test and ODI cricket.