Decoding Steve Smith's stats as opener in T20 cricket
Steve Smith scored a composed half-century against India in the T20I series opener in Visakhapatnam. This was his maiden outing as an opener in international cricket as the 34-year-old celebrated the occasion with a 41-ball 52, a knock laced with eight boundaries. Notably, this was his first T20I fifty in over four years. Here we decode his stats as an opener in T20 cricket.
Why does this story matter?
Smith has been the backbone of Australia's batting line-up in ODIs and Tests. However, his numbers in the T20I format have been below par. Owing to the same, he played just one game in the last year's ICC T20 World Cup. With the next T20 WC taking place in June next year, the right-handed batter seems determined to grab the opening spot.
Smith's fifth T20I half-century
Smith came out of his comfort zone and displayed his attacking strokes throughout the innings. He shared a 130-run stand with centurion Josh Inglis (110) for the second wicket. Smith, who laid a solid platform for Australia, departed in the 16th over through a run-out. Though Australia posted 208/3 while batting first, India eventually won by two wickets.
Successive BBL tons lifted his stocks in T20 cricket
Smith's stocks in T20 cricket went up after he smoked successive tons for Sydney Sixers in the 2022-23 Big Bash League (BBL). He finished the season with 346 runs in just five games at an exceptional average of 86.5. His strike rate of 174.74 was the highest for any batter in the season. Notably, Smith opened the innings in all five games.
Here are his overall stats as opener
Meanwhile, Smith has so far opened just 11 times in T20 cricket. He returned with 564 runs in these games at 56.40 with his strike rate being a staggering 157.10. He owns two tons and four fifties in this regard. Overall in T20 cricket, the batter has hammered 5,202 runs in 241 games at a strike rate of 127.59 (100s: 3, 50s: 23).
His numbers in T20I cricket
Overall, Smith has mustered 1,060 runs in 64 T20Is for Australia at an average of 25.85. His strike rate in the format reads 125.29. He has plundered five half-centuries with the best of 90. He smashed his maiden T20I fifty since his 80*-run knock versus Pakistan in November 2019. Smith last scored a T20I fifty away from home during the 2016 T20 World Cup.
