Australian veteran batter Steve Smith could play for the Washington Freedom in the 2024 Major League Cricket in the USA, following his association with the team as the brand ambassador for the franchise in the 2023 season. The inaugural edition of the MLC season will run from July 13 to 30.
Washington Freedom has a high-performance partnership alongside New South Wales of Australia. Steve Smith and other prominent cricketers from Australia have a strong connection with South Wales, who can come in and play for the team in the future. Moises Henriques, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Philippe and Tanveer Sangha are the NSW players who will feature for Freedom in the inaugural season of MLC.
Speaking in the video posted by Washington Freedom, Steve Smith expressed his gratitude to be associated with the team as the brand ambassador as he wanted to be part of taking cricket forward in the United States of America just like in Australia.
“As a New South Wales boy, the partnership the Freedom has with my home state means a lot to me, Cricket in Australia has a rich history and I look forward to being part of taking cricket to the United States of America,” Steve Smith said.
Michael Klinger, who is part of the New South Wales revealed that Steve Smith has a close relationship alongside his home side in Australia as he played five games for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League and added that his association with the Washington Freedom will promote the team in the future.
“Steve has a close relationship with New South Wales and Sydney Sixers, He obviously had five fantastic games in the last BBL, and to have him on board as an ambassador to promote the team is great. He’s going to really lift the profile of Washington Freedom,” he said.
“Some of his best mates, the New South Wales guys, are playing in the team, like Moises Henriques, and to be able to promote the Freedom with someone of Steve’s stature is going to be great for us. We certainly hope it’s a long-term relationship and we’ll see how that goes down the track,” Michael Klinger said in ESPNcricinfo.
The Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to get underway in the United States and the West Indies in June of next year, and Smith could have a vacant window after the tournament.
This year Major League Cricket will be played across three weeks (July 13-30) in Texas and North Carolina. A total of 6 teams will be participating in the first edition of the Major League Cricket. The six franchises will be based in Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington DC, San Francisco, and New York City.