T20 World Cup 2022: If Steve Smith opens the innings, he will be the leading run-getter – Michael Clarke

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke reckons Steve Smith could end up as the leading run-getter in the T20 World Cup if he opens the innings for the team. Smith could only score 17 runs in the one T20I inning he recently played against the West Indies.

However, Australia didn’t play Steve Smith in the first T20I against England on Sunday as they decided to back Cameron Green at the top of the order after his impressive showing in India. Australian captain Aaron Finch decided to demote himself in the batting order as David Warner and Cameron Green opened the innings against England.

Clarke believes Smith will prove his mettle if he is given the opportunity at the top of the order. However, Smith doesn’t have great T20 numbers as he has scored 997 runs in 61 T20Is at a strike rate of 125.56.

“Like, they took Steve Smith to Western Australia. Flew him to Perth to make him 12th man – that’s not right,” Clarke said, as quoted by FOX Sports Australia.

“And don’t tell me Steve Smith has to bat No.3 or No.4. “If he opens the batting, he will be the leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cup. He’s still that good a player.”

Clarke, who led Australia to glory in the 2015 World Cup, believes Australia should give Smith a bit of game time before their opening clash of the T20 World Cup against New Zealand.

“If it’s Smitty(Smith) , you’ve got to give him some cricket. As good as he is, I’d rather him walk out in the first game in the first World Cup game with some form, with some runs under his belt.

“I think that’s the position that they’re unsure of at the moment and that’s really going to come down to the style.

Clarke feels Smith’s experience will be handy if Australia loses early wickets in some of the matches.

“My reason always for (including) someone like a Steve Smith in your team is because not all conditions are the same, if we lose two for not many, you’ve got one of the world’s best batsmen coming in,” he said.