Former Australia skipper Steve Smith is set to donate his appearance fees from the upcoming Global T20 Canada to grassroots cricket.
The banned Australian batsman was named as one the marquee players for the inaugural Global T20 Canada league last week. According to a report by cricket.com.au, Smith will be donating his fees to grassroots cricket in both Australia and Canada.
Smith, along with his deputy David Warner, was handed a 12-month ban from international and domestic cricket by Cricket Australia for his role in the ball-tampering episode on the South African tour. Protagonist Cameron Bancroft had been handed a nine-month suspension for the same.
The Global T20 League will take place in Toronto and is slated to get underway on June 28. The month-long tournament which will feature six teams in total including a side comprising entirely of Caribbean players.
Warner could join Smith in the Canadian league.
Each team will be required to field four Canadian players including an U23 cricketer. The player-draft for the teams is expected to take place soon with Warner rumored to be made available for the tournament as well.
According to the report, as part of a deal with the organizers of the league, Smith will also be helping to promote the sport in the country by conducting several training camps for cricket communities.
Earlier, Cameron Bancroft and Warner’s participation has been confirmed for the NT Strike League in Darwin, a month-long T20 and ODI event featuring four franchises. That tournament is set to take place in July and will be the first involvement in any form of cricket for the pair since their suspension unless Warner is picked up in the draft for the Global T20 Canada league.