Steve Smith set to return to cricket in Canadian T20 tournament
Related Story: The long road from Bradman's moral lesson to Bancroft's ball tampering
Steve Smith's return to cricket looks set to occur sooner rather than later, with the ousted Australian captain named as one of the marquee players in a Canadian T20 tournament beginning in June.
Cricket Canada has proposed a six-team league, with 22 matches in the month-long tournament.
At the launch event for the league, called Global T20 Canada, tournament director Jason Hartman said Smith was among the confirmed signings.
"Let's take a look at some of the marquee players we've been able to negotiate with over the last few weeks, and confirm their participation in the first ever Global T20 Canada," he said.
Chris Gayle, Shahid Afridi, Lasith Malinga and Chris Lynn were among the stars the organisers said were confirmed, along with Smith.
"This is the first time that we're doing this tournament in Canada, and we're able to identify marquee players who are the top 20 of the global game," Hartman said.
The league has gained official sanction of the International Cricket Council, due to the fact it is supported by Cricket West Indies, and will take place between June 28 and July 15 at the Maple Leaf Cricket Club in Toronto.
Smith was banned by Cricket Australia (CA) for 12 months for his participation in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, and was stripped of the Australian captaincy for two years.
The ban prohibits him from playing at state or national levels, and in Big Bash cricket.
It is understood CA is supportive of the opportunity for Smith to take part in the tournament, according to cricket.com.au.
The six teams in the competition are the Caribbean All-Stars, Toronto Nationals, Montreal Tigers, Ottawa Royals, Vancouver Knights and Winnipeg Hawks.
The other two players banned by CA in the wake of the scandal were Cameron Bancroft and David Warner, with Bancroft set to play in Western Australia's Premier Cricket league and Warner to feature for his Sydney club, Randwick Petersham.
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