Steven Smith has been formally added to Australia’s T20 World Cup squad in Sri Lanka, replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood and making himself available for Monday night’s must-win match against the hosts.
Selector Tony Dodemaide confirmed the paperwork on Sunday. “ICC regulations stipulate any squad change must be submitted and activated at least one day prior to a match,” he said. “With Steve here, along with some uncertainty around Mitch and Marcus Stoinis, it made sense he [Smith] is activated and available for selection in time for the match, if required.”
Key facts first
• Hazlewood’s Achilles problem never settled, so he’s out of the tournament.
• Smith arrived mid-week after Mitchell Marsh suffered testicular bleeding from a training blow.
• Marsh batted for an extended period in the nets on Sunday and told team-mates he “felt okay”.
• Stoinis, hit on the hand against Zimbabwe, has been cleared of serious damage.
• Australia sit on one win from two; defeat by Sri Lanka would all but end their Super Eight hopes.
How Smith fits – or doesn’t
Smith’s inclusion is a safety net as much as a selection statement. Australia’s XI is already top-heavy with batting options, and if Marsh pulls up well the side may be unchanged. The senior players understand the dilemma: drop a bowler on a turning Kandy surface or leave out a mis-firing batter and bank on part-time overs. The coaches will wait until match-day before making that call.
Form v reputation
Hazlewood’s absence leaves Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa carrying the bulk of the bowling. Sean Abbott remains a travelling reserve and can only play if another injury crops up, which means Cameron Green keeps sneaking in overs no matter how expensive they look.
Batting is a different headache. Travis Head’s lean T20I run now stretches to nine innings without a fifty; Green has 61 runs in the tournament at a strike-rate just over 100; Glenn Maxwell’s BBL struggles followed him here, one boundary in 27 balls faced. Smith, by contrast, smashed 299 runs in five BBL knocks this summer, averaging nearly 60 and striking at 168. Those numbers prompted a chorus of “pick him” back in January, but selectors initially resisted, preferring Matt Renshaw for a floating middle-order brief.
It is worth remembering Smith’s overall T20I record – 24.86 at a strike-rate of 125 – looks ordinary alongside his franchise returns (49.73 and 156 since early 2024). The question is whether pocket-sized Sri Lankan grounds and the slower pitches still suit the classical approach he used so effectively in the Big Bash.
What the experts are saying
Former Sri Lanka seamer Farveez Maharoof, speaking on local radio, reckoned Australia should “stick with their best six hitters and back the skills they know”, arguing that chopping and changing unsettles rhythm. Anil Kumble was more flexible, warning that “if Marsh wakes up sore you need an anchor”, a role Smith can slip into at three with minimal fuss.
Where the game might turn
Kandy offers some new-ball swing in the evening but often turns sharply from around the eighth over. That tempts sides towards an extra spinner; Australia’s only specialist is Zampa, so leaving out a frontline seamer to accommodate Smith could be risky. Sri Lanka, buoyed by a raucous home crowd, will load up with spin either way.
Bigger picture
Australia arrived as fringe contenders; losing to Zimbabwe exposed a few cracks. Beat Sri Lanka and the road to the Super Eights stays open, with Ireland still to come. Lose, and the conversation quickly shifts towards what went wrong with squad balance, injury management and the call to delay naming a replacement for Hazlewood.
Smith himself looked relaxed in the nets on Sunday, playing trademark back-foot punches and talking quietly with assistant coach Michael Di Venuto. He didn’t give media a quote – perhaps wisely – although a grin when asked if he fancied a hit under lights said enough.
For now, the selectors have done their paperwork. Whether Smith walks straight into the XI or warms the bench, Australia’s campaign tilts on Monday evening in Pallekele. A veteran batter waits in the wings, a star quick is on the flight home, and the margin for error has shrunk to almost nothing.
