Steve Smith will return to the United States along with two Australian stars less than a week after the missed T20 World Cup final was decided in the Caribbean.
The former Australian captain will be joined by World Cup teammates Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head when the Washington Freedom take on NI New York on July 6, the day after the month-long tournament begins. I will be joining.
The 2015 ICC Cricketer of the Year has failed to convince the selectors to be the likely winner of the T20 World Cup to be hosted by West Indies and the United States in June as Australia look to make history in the tournament. There wasn't.
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Australia are aiming to become the first country to win all three formats of cricket at the same time, having won the World Test Championship by defeating India in June last year and the ODI World Cup in November last year. . Smith appeared on both teams.
The New York-based champion cricketer has further elevated his star factor in the second edition of Major League Cricket, becoming a key signing for the tournament.
The three Australians will represent Washington at the tournament, which will be held in North Carolina and Texas, under the guidance of Australian great Ricky Ponting.
Ponting is currently coaching Delhi Capitals, who also have Jake Fraser-McGurk and David Warner, in the Indian Premier League.
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This year's U.S. tournament has expanded its schedule to include six more games, another sign of growing interest in cricket in the United States. The MLC competition will also include teams representing Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Texas, with players including West Indians Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell, Kiwis Trent Boult and Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan. .
Ponting's former teammate Shane Watson is coaching the San Francisco Unicorns in this tournament.
MLC chief executive officer Vijay Srinivasan said the addition of talented players like Smith, Maxwell and Head would help grow the sport in the United States, and the organization called for further investment in cricket infrastructure across the country. He said he wanted it.
“This season promises to be the most thrilling yet, with each of MLC's six teams actively recruiting in the off-season, with a number of world-class players on their rosters. 's contracts have been added and more big names will be announced soon,” he said. He said.
“Last year, we announced MLC at the newly upgraded Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, and the brand new Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas. Both stadiums will once again co-host the 2024 tournament. Watch Season 1 in those communities.
“These venues will provide world-class pitches and a vibrant atmosphere that will support the entire MLC fan experience. Additionally, we have expanded to support the growing American fan base of our six teams. , we are fully committed to exploring expansion opportunities with new cricket venues.”
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