- Finally made an appearance after the tour was already doomed
Australia‘s T20 World Cup horror show has mercifully ended with a win, but it was scenes involving Steve Smith that left many fans furious.
Shock losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka meant the Aussies were left packing their bags before the Super Eight phases of the tournament.
A nine-wicket win over Oman will do little to erase this disappointment, nor will the sight of Steve Smith finally getting a run in the Australian T20 side.
lMany questioned why the Aussie superstar was not included in the T20 squad to begin with.
Then, even we Smith answered an SOS to fly to Sri Lanka as cover for injured skipper Mitch Marsh, the BBL’s leading runscorer was not given a run – until now.
Aussie fans lamented the fact that Smith took part in the final match against Oman – for just two overs as a sub.
Jatinder Singh of Oman and Steve Smith shake hands after Australia’s commanding win
Smith was brought on for just two overs against Oman as a sub, his only involvement in the T20 World Cup
‘Really feeling for this legend. Came all the way from Australia just to take the field for two overs. It’s really an insult for a player in his capacity,’ one fan posted.
‘This is getting out of hand. The disrespect towards Steve Smith is undigestible,’ added another.
‘No Steve Smith. What an absolute insult to arguably one of Australia’s greatest,’ yet enother posted.
Playing for pride after a poor T20 World Cup, Australia ended on a high as Mitch Marsh powered them to a nine-wicket win over Oman in Sri Lanka.
In what became a flat dead rubber instead of a Super Eight warm-up, Australia still bowed out professionally with a ruthless win in Pallekele on Friday.
After Australia bowled out the Omanis for 104 in 16.2 overs, with Adam Zampa (4-21) starring, Marsh himself then bludgeoned an unbeaten 64 as they hurried to 1-108 with 62 balls still remaining, looking as if he couldn’t wait to get home quickly enough.
Smith was initially overlooked by selectors despite being the leading run scorer in the BBL
It was joint-fastest any side has chased down a 100-plus total in the T20 World Cup, but nothing was about to cheer up Marsh as he sighed afterwards: ‘It’s a bitterly disappointed change room.
‘We’ve built for two years to get here and, unfortunately, we didn’t play our best in a couple of games we needed to, and that’s tournament play … Yeah, we’re a very disappointed group.’
Neither could Zampa be consoled by his player-of-the-match award as he scolded himself his own part in the early exit.
‘To be honest with you, mate, it’s been a rough few days,’ he said. ‘There’s a few quiet voices around the team at the moment.
‘Looking back, I think I could have done more in the Sri Lanka game.’
Marsh’s side ended up finishing third in their group, the first time they’ve been eliminated in the prelims of a global event for 17 years.
It left Marsh to reflect: ‘We’ll look at it as players and as a team to ensure, if we’re lucky enough to have the opportunity as a group again, that we’re better.
‘When you fail, there’s always great learnings. We couldn’t be more disappointed in the way that it’s panned out — but we go home and we reflect and move on.’