Smith sets sights on 2028 Olympics amid T20 ambitions

Steve Smith has set his sights on representing Australia at the 2028 Olympics, with plans to prolong his career in short-form cricket and make a return to the T20 team for the Los Angeles Games.

On 11 January 2025, Smith delivered one of the finest T20 innings of his career, scoring an unbeaten 121 from 64 balls for Sydney Sixers against Perth Scorchers, leading his team to a BBL victory. His explosive knock included seven sixes as he cleverly manipulated the Scorchers' bowling attack, targeting the short boundary with precision.

Smith, a former T20 captain, has seen his presence in international T20 cricket wane in recent years. He was overlooked for selection in Australia's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup and has been absent from the IPL for the past four auctions. His only involvement in franchise cricket last year was with Washington in the USA's Major League Cricket.

However, Smith's recent form in the BBL has reminded many of his T20 prowess. He has now scored three centuries in his last seven BBL matches, equalling Ben McDermott's record for the most centuries in the tournament's history. Smith has achieved this feat in just 32 games, compared to McDermott's 100. His average of 45.88 is the highest among local players, and his strike-rate of 146.3 ranks him sixth overall.

Despite his success on the domestic circuit, Smith is determined not to limit himself to being a domestic player. He is keen to represent Australia again, particularly in T20 cricket, with his eyes set on the Olympics.

"I'd love to play in the Olympics, I reckon that would be amazing," Smith said. "We'll see how far I go in terms of long-form cricket. But I plan to keep playing short-form cricket for a while, and you never know what could happen. There are plenty of young, talented players who are hitting the ball out of the park."

By the time cricket returns to the Olympics in 2028, Smith will be 39, with the sport making its Olympic return for the first time since 1900, when only Great Britain and France participated.

Smith has yet to confirm his retirement plans for red-ball cricket, but he has expressed a clear desire to continue playing T20s for the foreseeable future.

Before Saturday's game, Smith had minimal preparation for T20 cricket, with just a 15-minute net session ahead of the BBL match being his only practice following the India Test series. He has played exclusively as an opener in T20s, and his record tends to improve the longer a tournament progresses. With the possibility of focusing solely on the 20-over format in the coming years, Smith is optimistic that his game could continue to evolve.

"I find that the more I play back-to-back games, the more in sync I get with the game," Smith explained. "Even in this match, I don't think I played my first 10 balls particularly well. I was probably trying too hard for the conditions.

"But if I'm playing T20s regularly, I think I'll approach things with a different mindset, giving myself a bit more time. It's all about adjusting the gears, moving up and down throughout the innings, and playing the percentages."