He last played for Australia in T20I cricket in February 25 against New Zealand.
The former Australia captain was padded up in the nets, hitting the ball well and looking ready for an SL vs AUS T20 World Cup 2026 match. However, when Australia took the field against Sri Lanka on February 16, Steve Smith was not absent from their playing XI. This raised a question: Why is Steve Smith not in Australia playing XI tonight for AUS vs SL T20 World Cup 2026 clash despite replacing Josh Hazlewood?
Steve Smith is missing the AUS vs SL T20 World Cup 2026 match, not due to fitness or form issues. Instead, the team’s combination did not allow him to secure a spot in the Australia playing XI tonight.
Steve Smith was not initially part of the official 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup 2026. The former captain entered the group as backup after Mitchell Marsh was sidelined due to internal bleeding during a training session.
However, just hours before the AUS vs SL T20 World Cup 2026 clash, the ICC approved Australia’s request to replace the injured pacer Josh Hazlewood with Steve Smith, making him eligible for selection. However, reports indicate that Marsh trained hard in the nets and looked sharp, leading the team management to back their captain virtual knockout game for his side.
Australia’s campaign faced pressure after a historic loss to Zimbabwe. They need two wins on the trot to secure a direct qualification in the T20 World Cup 2026 super 8 stage, and as a result, Marsh has decided to take the risk of returning to the Australia playing XI.
Mitchell Marsh’s return will change the combination of Australia playing XI as he is expected to open the batting with Travis Head, while Josh Inglis, the only specialist wicketkeeper in Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, will likely move back to the middle order.
As a result, either Matt Renshaw or Glenn Maxwell may have to make way to keep the team balanced. This change effectively rules Steve Smith out for the Sri Lanka match, even with his late approval as Hazlewood’s replacement. For now, Smith remains on standby. He is officially eligible but left out due to team balance and Marsh’s return.
ALSO READ:
Steve Smith was surprisingly left out of the original Australia T20 World Cup squad despite performing well in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26, where he scored 299 runs at an average of 59.80 and a strike rate close to 168. His excellent batting in the nets at Pallekele has only fueled calls for his inclusion, especially as Australia face a must-win situation in the group stage after a defeat against Zimbabwe.
So, why is Steve Smith not playing despite joining the Australia squad at the T20 World Cup 2026? Simply put, he’s there as a backup. Unless Mitchell Marsh suffers an injury setback or Australia opts to change their squad strategy, Smith will keep training on the sidelines.
Steve Smith last played for Australia in T20I cricket on February 25, 2024, against New Zealand. Notably, he wasn’t part of the Australia T20 World Cup 2024 squad.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
