Injured Steve Smith doubtful for Pakistan series: Banned Australian cricketer is all but out of the ODI series against Pakistan.
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Things are getting worse for banned Australia cricketer Steven Smith as an elbow injury has ruled him out of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League. Smith had recently returned home from Bangladesh to have a scan on his elbow.
“He is quite positive about returning, possibly during the Sylhet phase of the competition. He will undergo an MRI in Australia, which isn’t available in Bangladesh, and will inform us about it,” Comilla Victorians media manager Sohanuzzaman Khan was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Steven Smith’s return to international cricket after his one-year ban could be delayed; he’s set to undergo surgery for his elbow injury
More to follow… pic.twitter.com/ZUyQU5A0Xk
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 12, 2019
Steven Smith appears unlikely to be fit to resume his international career when his ban expires at the end of March https://t.co/xA6PPGDZAP
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 12, 2019
Once the reports were released, it was put forward that Smith will have to undergo surgery to repair a ligament in his right elbow. The 29-year old cricketer will undergo surgery on Tuesday.
It is believed that Smith will use a brace for the next six weeks which will be followed by extensive rehabilitation.
In what has come as a huge blow for the Australian team is the harsh reality that there are significant chances of Smith missing the ODI series against Pakistan before the ICC World Cup 2019.
Steven Smith is not available for #PSL2019 @thePSLt20 @MultanSultans
— Haider Ali 🇵🇰 #Qalander (@HaiderAliAyubi) January 12, 2019
Sad !!!! International cricket do miss him and he was the only player that was even close enough to challenge Virat !
— Deshapriya Senanayak (@Didi_Sena) January 12, 2019
Smith, who was handed a 12-month ban by Cricket Australia for his involvement in the ball tampering saga at Cape Town last year, was allowed to represent Australia after March this year. With this injury, he might not be available for the same.
It is worth mentioning that the series against Pakistan was being scheduled in a way that it accommodates both Smith and David Warner into the Australian team.
Smith is also slated to miss the Pakistan Super League which means that there are prospects of him not playing any cricket before the World Cup. If this unlikely outcome happens for Cricket Australia, it will be interesting to see if they include Smith into the team for World Cup with no cricket under his belt.
