On Day 3 of the ongoing third Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australian hitter Steve Smith‘s 2024 did not begin as expected, as he was removed for a lackluster 38 runs off 86 deliveries.
Steve Smith, who generally puts up a lot of runs at home, has only managed 190 runs in five innings.
Smith started his batting on Day 3 after the second day was cut short due to bad lighting and rain. Mir Hamza dismissed him with the old ball.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood had three fielders in the cover region, all nearby.
Smith attempted to rise to the occasion by trying a lofted shot to clear the trio of guys stationed on the off-side.
He did not, however, gain the elevation, and Babar Azam made a well-timed catch at short extra cover.
The ball being held up a little by the surface didn’t assist Smith’s case since it caused the ball to hit high on his bat, resulting in a lack of height.
Following another of Smith’s bad performances, Twitter erupted with responses.
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In 2023, Steve Smith averaged 42.23 in Test Cricket
Steve Smith’s 2023 was highlighted by a match-winning hundred against India in the World Test Championship final at The Oval.
Before then, he had undergone a bad Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the subcontinent, as well as a disappointing Ashes series.
Smith scored 929 runs in 24 innings, averaging 42.23 and striking out 46.90.
He has been critical of his recent play and will be hoping for a strong recovery in the forthcoming home series against the West Indies.
Steve Smith’s dismissal placed Australia in trouble, as Marnus Labuschagne was bowled by Salman Ali Agha in the following over.
With Travis Head’s fast dismissal, the hosts experienced a small collapse in the first innings, falling from 187-2 to 205-5.
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