Currently serving a 12-month suspension from international and Australia domestic cricket, along with former vice-captain David Warner, who will also play  in the competition with Winnipeg Hawks, Smith has been the subject of much media scrutiny in recent weeks.

Chris Gayle, who will skipper Vancouver Knights, has called the one-year suspension “harsh” and believed the Australian batsmen should be able to “go on with their lives … just let the two guys be free”.

The powerful opener added: “People make mistakes, you have to give people a chance … and rest it to the grave.”