Washington Freedom signed the Australian batter Steve Smith for the upcoming Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 which begins on July 4.
Steve Smith Joins Washington Freedom for MLC 2024
Last year, Steve Smith was signed by Washington Freedom as an ambassador to assist in promoting the team. Post the completion of the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies, Australia’s international schedule allows a clear window for him to participate through July.
Smith’s domestic team in Australia New South Wales (NSW) have a high-performance partnership with Freedom, although Ricky Ponting replaced NSW coach Greg Shipperd in February.
In 2023, NSW players Moises Henriques, Tanveer Sangha and Ben Dwarshuis were part of Freedom’s squad, along with Sixers’ Josh Philippe.
“As a New South Wales boy, the partnership the Freedom has with my home state means a lot to me. Cricket in Australia has a rich history and I look forward to being part of taking cricket to the United States of America”, Smith said in a promotional video.
𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 x 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 = 😍
Welcome the the family, 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 ❤️#WashingtonFreedom #MLC2024 #SteveSmith pic.twitter.com/bGrzxlsr61
— Washington Freedom (@WSHFreedom) April 11, 2024
Since his prolific return to the BBL for Sydney Sixers in the 2022-23 season, he scored 346 runs at a strike rate of 174.74. Following that, Smith played two T20Is in India, two matches in BBL’s last season and as many games against New Zealand in February, where he made 11 and 4 while opening the batting.
His spot in Australia’s final 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 has not yet been finalised.
Speaking on that, Smith said “I think they’re pretty settled up top – to be honest – with [Travis] Head, [David] Warner and [Mitchell] Marsh in the top three. I’m not really sure what [selectors] want to do. I’m not really too fussed either way. If I’m there, I’m there; if I’m not, I’m not”.
Smith joins Adam Zampa (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Spencer Johnson (Knight Riders) and Tim David (MI New York) as confirmed Australian signings for the second season of MLC, with more expected to join the tournament which starts immediately after the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies ends on June 29.
