Sydney, Sep 3: Suspended Australia cricket captain Steve Smith is returning home from the Caribbean Premier League after suffering an abdominal strain.

Smith was due to play for the Barbados Tridents Monday against the St Lucia Stars and his banned Australia teammate David Warner but was a late withdrawal.

Tridents captain Jason Holder told the host broadcaster Smith had pulled an abdominal muscle and will not play again in the tournament, which has two rounds left. Coach Robin Singh said Smith was already on his to Australia.

Smith and Warner received 12-month bans for their roles in the South African ball-tampering scandal in March. But the ban applies only to international matches and those under the direct control of Cricket Australia. The pair has been free to play in overseas and independent leagues. Smith scored 185 runs at an average of 26.4 in seven innings in the CPL.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)