‘Going to be tricky, but I’ll keep trying’ - Steven Smith eyes spot in LA28

Australian veteran Steven Smith has admitted that breaking into the T20I squad for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will be no easy task. While he acknowledges the challenges ahead, the seasoned star remains determined to give his all in pursuit of his Olympic dream.

Cricket will make its long-awaited return to the Olympics in 2028, more than a century after its only appearance at the 1900 Games. Since the announcement, Smith has been vocal about his desire to represent Australia on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages. By the time the Games arrive, the right-handed batter will be 39 years old, but he remains hopeful of competing for a place on the podium and adding another chapter to his illustrious career.

"I mean, it is my goal to try and make that Olympic team at (LA)28. I think, you know, the team's doing pretty well at the moment, the Australian T20 team. So it's going to be tricky to get in there, but you know, just got to keep putting my best foot forward, and we'll never know," Smith told Sky Sports.

"Yeah, I mean, I've watched a lot of Olympics since I was a young kid and really enjoyed watching the Australian athletes go about it. So, you know, when I heard that cricket was going to be a part of it, I was like, that would be really cool to be involved," he added.

Smith has featured in multiple ICC tournaments and faced some of cricket’s fiercest rivalries over the years. Yet, the prospect of competing in an event with global recognition beyond the sport, the Olympic Games, is something that excites him.

"So, you know, I've obviously played in, you know, lots of World Cups and Ashes and Border Gavaskar Trophy and things like that, but yeah, when this popped up, it was something new and another opportunity to represent your country on a world stage. So, yeah, it was like I'd love to be involved in that, but it's still a fair way away. So, we'll see," Smith said.

The former Australian skipper, who retired from ODIs after a heartbreaking exit in the Champions Trophy, has not been a regular feature in Australia’s T20I setup. His most recent appearance in the shortest format came in February 2024, when he was included in the playing XI against New Zealand. Whether Smith remains part of the Australian squad for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka is yet to be seen.