Was Cricket Australia Wrong to Omit Steve Smith from T20 World Cup 2026 Squad?

The Australian cricket team had one of the worst campaigns in the T20 World Cup 2026. With none of their players being able to do well, the team finished in the Group stages. Moreover, the team was without Steve Smith, who has been flourishing in the T20 format over the last few years.

Australia is surely considered as a big name when it comes to the ICC events. But this team is not as dominant when it comes to the T20 World Cup. In the T20 World Cup 2026, Australia had one of the worst campaigns they ever witnessed in the tournament history.

The team finished in the Group stages, which came as an unexpected moment, noting the fact that they have been strong in the ICC events. While some thought that the team just had a bad time, others even blamed the selectors for neglecting their key players. One of the key players who was not a part of the T20 World Cup squad was none other than Steve Smith.

Steve Smith in T20s Since 2023:

• Innings: 45
• Runs: 1775
• Average: 46.71
• Strike Rate: 158.62
• 100s: 5
• 50s: 11

The experienced batsman has retired from the ODI format only, as he continues to play Tests and T20Is. But for a long time, he has been neglected from the T20I squad, even after showcasing his best performances in the T20 format. Recently in the clash against Hyderabad Kingsmen, he went on to smash a 47-ball century.

Our Take

Steve Smith has evolved himself to a great extent in the T20 format. He even said that he is eyeing the 2028 Olympics, which also mark the return of cricket to the biggest sporting event after a century. It will be a big miss for the Australian team if they don't give Smith another try in the shortest format of the game.