Allow Steve Smith, David Warner to play Big Bash League.

Allow Steve Smith, David Warner to play Big Bash League.

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has asked Cricket Australia to permit Steven Smith and David Warner’s participation in the Big Bash League.

Steve Smith and David Warner will not play in the upcoming season of Indian Premier League. (Source: BCCI)

Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has asked Cricket Australia to permit Steven Smith and David Warner’s participation in the Big Bash League. Citing the Warner’s and Smith’s participation in the Global T20 Canada, Watson claimed that the tainted duo should be allowed to ply their trade in Australia’s domestic T20 competition. Both Warner and Smith are serving one-year bans from international after getting embroiled in a ball-tampering controversy in Cape Town earlier this year. But Watson believes the pair’s participation in T20 leagues is boosting tournaments across the world and has questioned the logic behind it.

Speaking to AAP, the 36-year-old said, “The thing that just disappoints me about the whole situation is now Steve Smith and Dave Warner are over promoting other tournaments by playing in them.”

“I understand the rulings that happened at Cricket Australia, the 12-month bans and all the stipulations they put around that. But for them to have the opportunity to go and promote other tournaments, I’d prefer if they’re going to do that and have access to do that [that] they have access to promote the Big Bash, for example,” he added.

“At the moment we’ve got a few world-class players and we’ll continue to discover those but they don’t just fall out of trees. That’s why Steve and Dave are such an integral part to Australian cricket, especially in the shorter format as well with the World Cup coming up,” Watson explained.

Warner is part of the Winnipeg Hawks squad and is set to take the field on Friday against Montreal Tigers.

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