Steve Smith & David Warner Selected In Global T20 Canada League Draft
Credits: Getty

Australia’s disgraced duo Steve Smith and David Warner are now just a few days away from making their return to competitive cricket. Both the batsmen will make their comeback at the Global T20 Canada League after being picked by Winnipeg Hawks in the player draft on Sunday (June 3).

Earlier this month,  Smith was named one of the 10 proposed marquee players. The other marquee players are Shahid Afridi, David Miller, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Chris Lynn, Darren Sammy and Lasith Malinga.

The league has earned approval from the International Cricket Council (ICC). The tournament will run from June 28 to July 15. The player draft for the league will take place on Sunday (June 3), with Toronto Nationals getting the first pick. Four spots on each side will be set aside for Canadians.

The tournament will have 22 games. The final will take place on July 15. Toronto’s Maple Leaf Cricket Club will host all the games.

Both Smith and Warner along with Cameron Bancroft have not played since the ball tampering scandal in the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town in March. In the aftermath of the scandal, Cricket Australia (CA) had slapped lengthy bans on the trio. While Smith and Warner received one-year ban each, Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.

Smith also had to give up his captaincy in addition to being banned from playing for State and in Big Bash League. However, CA had made it clear the forbidden trio would be allowed to play grade cricket. As a result, Smith and Warner are eligible for the upcoming league in Canada.

Read More  Steve Smith joins forces to slam Hardik Pandya for the underuse of Jasprit Bumrah

Meanwhile, Warner will also be seen in the Darwin Strike League in July, alongside Bancroft. While Bancroft will be available for the entire duration of the tournament, Warner will feature in two 50-over matches on July 21 and 22. At the Darwin Strike League, the left-handed batsman will play for Randwick Petersham, his club in Sydney.

David Warner
Credits: Getty Images

 

An avid cricket lover, I just love this game more than anything. Writing about cricket keeps me closer to the game.