Steven Smith will make a short-term return to the Sydney Sixers for this year's 2023-24 BBL after being available for their opening game against the Melbourne Renegades on December 8.

Australian batsman Steve Smith will represent the Sydney Sixers in the 2023-24 Big Bash League (BBL) as he looks to improve his T20 form in time for the 2024 T20 World Cup in June.

Smith is expected to be available for the first half of the BBL, with Australia's home season set to begin from December 14. The Aussies will play Pakistan and the West Indies together in five Tests between now and January 29.

After the first match, he will join the Australian Test team to prepare for the three-match home Test series against Pakistan, scheduled to begin in Perth on December 14. The Sixers are also hoping that the star will be available for the Sydney derby after the conclusion of the Test series against Pakistan.

Steve Smith also played for the Sixers last season. After missing the last two seasons, he returned to competition and made an immediate impact with the bat. The Australian superstar opened the batting contest and turned heads with his exceptional performances with the bat. In just 5 innings, Steve Smith had scored 346 runs at a strike rate of 174.74 and also hit two centuries.

Smith, who is currently part of Australia's squad in India for a T20I series, expressed his delight at being given the chance to play for the Sixers again.

“It's great to be back in a Sixers jersey. I have some really fond memories of playing for the Sixers. "Obviously I'm an original, part of the first team and I really enjoyed my time last year with the five or six games and the finals that I played, so I'm excited to be back," he said.

Franchise captain Moises Henriques was also delighted to have Smith available, even if only for a short time.

“Steve is a Sixer through and through. We will always take advantage of any opportunity for him to be part of this group. It goes without saying that he is one of the best players the game has ever seen. “He’s obviously someone you want to play alongside, but he’s also a guy we enjoy having around,” Henriques explained.