His cricket journey is nothing short of a marvel. Steve Smith started his journey as a leg-spinner before rising through the ranks to become one of the productive players of this era. His Test career started with emphasis on his spin bowling. Needless to say, during the 2010-11 Ashes series, his batting masterclass came to the forefront, which gave us a hunch that he can dictate terms with the bat in the long run and Smith turned all those expectations into reality by bringing the best out of himself for more than a decade. There were many occasions when Smith used all his experience to great effect during high-pressure situations and helped the team to navigate through challenging scenarios. The senior pro blocked out external pressure and remained calm in such moments, which helped him to succeed when it matters the most. Let's take a look at the seven instances when the 35-year-old proved why he is the man for clutch moments. 1.

65 vs Pakistan in 2015 ODI World Cup quarter-final: Steve Smith's venture as a clutch player began in the 2015 World Cup. In the quarter-final against Pakistan, when the Men in Yellow found themselves in a tricky situation, Smith broke the shackles and scored a valuable knock of 65 runs, steadying the ship and setting up a platform for victory. 2. 105 vs India in 2015 World Cup semi-final: In the semi-final against Team India, Smith demonstrated his masterclass in handling pressure wherein he came out on top much to the opposition's annoyance. His impeccable 105 helped Australia post a competitive total, which eventually led them to the final. 3. Fifty in the 2015 ODI World Cup final: In the final against the Black Caps, Smith was the backbone of Australia's run-chase. He chipped in with unbeaten 56 in the showdown and guided the Aussies to their fifth World Cup title. 4. 85 vs England in 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final: During the ICC Men's 2019 World Cup, when Australia faced England in the semi-final, they were in a spot of bother as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Amidst the pressure and the hostile English crowd, Smith stood tall by top-scoring with 85, which powered Australia to a modest total of 223. Despite Australia not winning the match, the veteran drew plaudits for his effort. 5. Batting masterclass in 2023 World Test Championship Final: A Test of Character: Smith showed a real test of character by leading the batting attack by example in the ICC Men's World Test Championship 2023 final against Team India. He scored a monumental 163, which was pivotal in Australia clinching the coveted trophy. 6.

51 in IPL 2017 final as captain: Notably, his clutch performances extended to the shortest format too. During the 2017 IPL final against Mumbai Indians, Steve Smith nearly guided Rising Pune Supergiant to victory with his 51 but that wasn't meant to be the case as Mumbai Indians clinched the thriller by a run. 7. 88 in MLC 2024 final as captain: During the 2024 MLC final, Steve Smith top-scored with 88 off 52 balls against San Francisco Unicorns. His pivotal knock helped Washington Freedom post 207/5 in 20 overs. Washington Freedom won by a colossal margin of 96 runs and Steve Smith was adjudged the Man of the Match