Unsold in IPL, Australia great joins PSL team for debut campaign

NEW DELHI: Former Australia skipper Steve Smith has signed with caller Pakistan Super League (PSL) squad Sialkot Stallionz for the 2026 season, which volition marque his first-ever quality successful the PSL.

The franchise confirmed the signing connected Tuesday, bringing Smith successful done a nonstop signing enactment allowed nether league rules for overseas players who did not play successful the erstwhile season.

Sialkot Stallionz were precocious announced arsenic 1 of the PSL’s 2 caller teams, and Smith is expected to beryllium a cardinal fig successful their debut campaign. With his acquisition and enactment background, helium could besides beryllium considered for the captain’s role.Smith, who went unsold during the IPL mini auction successful December past year, past played competitory cricket successful the Big Bash League with Sydney Sixers, wherever helium made an contiguous interaction contempt joining midway done the season. He scored 299 runs successful conscionable six matches astatine an awesome mean of 59.80, including 1 period and 2 half-centuries. Smith, playing alongside Babar Azam, finished arsenic the Sixers’ apical scorer and helped them scope the final, wherever they mislaid to Perth Scorchers.

Although Smith went unsold successful the IPL 2025 auction, his worth successful franchise cricket remains high. Across 272 T20 matches, helium has scored 6,242 runs astatine an mean of 32.68 and a onslaught complaint of 131.38, including 5 centuries and 30 half-centuries.Sialkot Stallionz person besides strengthened their setup disconnected the tract by appointing erstwhile Australia skipper Tim Paine arsenic caput coach. Paine brings coaching acquisition from stints with Adelaide Strikers and Australia A teams.The PSL 2026 play is scheduled to statesman connected March 26, with Sialkot Stallionz acceptable to marque their much-anticipated debut.