AUS vs SL: Steven Smith ruled out of remaining T20Is
Former Australian skipper Steve Smith has been ruled out of the remainder of the T20I series against Sri Lanka due to a concussion. The development was confirmed by Cricket Australia (CA) on Sunday. Smith injured his head in the final over of the second T20I while trying to save a six. Australia won the second game against Sri Lanka through Super Over.
Why does this story matter?
Smith suffered the concussion after landing on his head following an athletic leap in the air in an attempt to save a six. He was not successful in his effort as his foot touched the boundary rope. Although Smith's injury is not grave, CA does not want to take any unnecessary risks regarding his health, thereby ruling him out of the series.
Cricket Australia on Smith's injury
"Steve Smith has a concussion and will be subject to low-level protocols for the next few days and full recovery in 6-7 days," Cricket Australia wrote on Twitter. "He will miss the remainder of the T20 International Series against Sri Lanka," the statement added. As of now, the cricket board has not named any replacement for Smith.
How the second T20I panned out?
Batting first, Australia scored 164/6. In response, Sri Lanka tied the match on the final ball to take it to the Super Over. Josh Hazlewood bowled a superb Super Over for Australia, conceding just five runs. Australia comfortably won the match after three loose deliveries by Wanindu Hasaranga. Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka starred with the bat, scoring 73 runs off 54 balls.
A look at AUS vs SL T20I series
Australia started the event with a 20-run victory on Friday via the DLS method. They won the second match at SCG through Super Over. The third game between the two countries will be played on February 15 at Manuka Oval. The fourth and fifth T20Is will be played on February 18 and February 20, respectively, at the MCG.
Steve Smith went unsold at the 2022 auction
Smith went unsold during the just-concluded 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. Smith, who is counted among modern-day greats, has scored 2,485 runs in IPL in 103 games. He averaged 34.51 in the tournament. He owns one hundred and 11 fifties in the cash-rich league. Smith was released by Delhi after a below-par performance. He amassed 152 runs in 8 games in 2021.
