The Sydney Sixers are set to be galvanized by the return of their star batter Steve Smith for the 13th season of the Big Bash League (BBL), as announced by the club this past Monday. Eager fans of the Sydney Sixers can anticipate Smith’s participation in the highly anticipated Sydney Smash against Sydney Thunder on January 12, where he is slated to lock horns with Australian colleague David Warner at the iconic SCG.
Recognized as one of the greatest to grace the sport, Smith will wear the magenta for a second consecutive year after his electrifying performances in the previous season. “Australian and Sydney Sixers champion, Steve Smith, is set to return to the club again this summer for BBL|13,” the team proclaimed in a statement. The Sixers will mark the start of their BBL|13 journey on Friday, December 8, welcoming the Melbourne Renegades to the Sydney Cricket Ground.
In his brief yet remarkable appearance last season, Smith amassed 346 runs at a staggering average of 86.50, striking the ball at an impressive rate of 174.74. Playing merely five games, he became one of the top-scoring athletes in the league and entertained fans by scoring consecutive centuries. This achievement rendered him the fourth Sixer—and the inaugural male Sixer—to ever score triple digits in a match.
As a founding squad member, Smith’s deep-rooted connection with the club dates back to the outset of the Sixers. The seasoned cricketer led the team to their first Big Bash title victory and, now a two-time BBL champion and member of the 2012 Champions League title-holding ensemble, Smith is focused on steering the Sixers towards further glories.
Throughout his BBL history, Smith has notched up 965 runs in 29 matches, boasting an average of 41.95 and a strike rate soaring over 142, which includes two centuries and six half-centuries, with his top score being an unbeaten 125.
Addressing from India, where he currently partakes in the Australian T20 team, Smith expressed his elation over rejoining the Sixers, a club with which his affiliation spans over a decade. “I have got some really fond memories playing for the Sixers…and really enjoyed my time last year…so I am keen to get out there again,” an excited Smith relayed.
The star player even had a rousing message for the Sixers supporters, urging them to rally behind the team. With a strong team culture and an excellent lineup, Smith envisions another thrilling season for the Sixers in the Big Bash.
Sixers’ captain Moises Henriques expressed delight at the prospect of having Smith back. “Steve is a Sixer through and through. Any opportunity for him to be a part of this group, we will always jump at that chance,” Henriques noted, acknowledging Smith’s stature as one of the best in the game.
Rachael Haynes, the Head of Sydney Sixers, commemorated the signing as a monumental victory for the club and its fans. “Steve is one of the best players in the world,” said Haynes, accrediting Smith’s profound impact in a short period last season to his exceptional talent. According to Haynes, the anticipation of Smith’s performances this summer promises the same level of enthusiasm and entertainment for Sixers’ fans.
With a World Cup win, retaining the Ashes in England, and claiming the World Test Championship under his belt this winter, Smith’s return is set to imbue the Sydney Sixers with unmatched vitality and elevate the excitement for BBL|13 to new heights.
Haynes extended an invitation to the supporters, expressing hope for a bustling presence at the SCG come December 8. The return of Steve Smith is not just a win for the Sydney Sixers, but a thrilling development for the entire cricketing community, with the BBL stage gleaming brighter than ever before at the prospect of hosting one of the much-celebrated cricket stars of this era.