CRICKETJason Smith has quickly become one of the biggest hitters in SAByKeanan Hemmonsbey

Jason Smith’s call-up to the Proteas T20 World Cup squad has raised eyebrows, but his power-hitting ability could calm those doubts. The decision by Cricket South Africa’s selectors to include Dolphins and MI Cape Town middle-order batter Jason Smith in the national squad for the T20 World Cup has raised a few eyebrows. Smith has played only two T20 Internationals and three One Day Internationals in the green and gold of South Africa.

Just one of those five matches (his international debut against West Indies in August 2024) came when South Africa were playing a full-strength side. He’s been on the periphery of the national side for the past 18 months, but at the T20 World Cup next month, he will be on the inside looking out. Some of the doubts of those questioning his ability were settled when Smith walked in with his SA20 side MI Cape Town requiring 39 runs off 19 deliveries in a rain-curtailed match at Newlands on Tuesday evening.

He smashed 22 runs off seven deliveries. The knock took his side to the brink of victory over Joburg Super Kings. He clubbed the first ball he faced for six over mid-wicket.

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Then he tore apart Englishman Richard Gleeson, first pulling a back-of-a-length delivery for six before brutally whipping a full ball for six no-look style. He was dismissed the following delivery, attempting to smash his fourth six in seven deliveries, but was caught at long-on 10 metres short of the boundary rope. The impute of the knock meant that MI required only 13 runs off the final eight deliveries.

They did it at a canter, with three balls to spare, to register their first victory of the tournament. But was the knock enough to quieten the doubters of his left-field selection for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka? Experienced coach and current Joburg Super Kings assistant coach Eric Simons doesn’t believe so. “I don’t think he answered [questions over his selection] in one innings, in six or seven balls,” Simons said in the post-match press conference.

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