Kai Smith
{{Short description|UAE cricket player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Kai Smith
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|11|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling =
| role = Wicket-keeper
| club1 = Warwickshire
| year1 = {{nowrap|2022–present}}
| clubnumber1 = 11
| type1 = First-class
| debutdate1 = 4 April
| debutyear1 = 2025
| debutfor1 = Warwickshire
| debutagainst1 = Sussex
| type2 = List A
| debutdate2 = 2 August
| debutyear2 = 2022
| debutfor2 = Warwickshire
| debutagainst2 = Gloucestershire
| hidedeliveries = true
| columns = 2
| column1 = First-class
| matches1 = 1
| runs1 = 27
| bat avg1 = 27.00
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| top score1 = 27
| catches/stumpings1 = 2/0
| column2 = List A
| matches2 = 23
| runs2 = 385
| bat avg2 = 35.00
| 100s/50s2 = 1/0
| top score2 = 130*
| catches/stumpings2 = 8/–
| date = 7 April 2025
| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/kai-smith-1178645 ESPNcricinfo
}}
Kai Smith (born 28 November 2004) is a professional cricketer who has played for Warwickshire County Cricket Club and the United Arab Emirates national under-19 cricket team. He is a right-handed wicket-keeper batsman.{{cite news|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/kai-smith-1178645|title=Kai Smith|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|accessdate=7 January 2023}}
Personal life
Smith was born and raised in Dubai to South African parents. He attended Nord Anglia International School Dubai before moving to boarding school in Kent to complete his A-levels.{{cite news|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/cricket/2021/08/26/uae-teen-cricketer-prepares-for-dream-appearance-at-lords/|title=UAE teen cricketer prepares for dream appearance at Lord's|newspaper=The National|location=Abu Dhabi|date=26 August 2021|accessdate=7 January 2023|first=Paul|last=Radley}}
Career
=UAE=
Smith represented the UAE at the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa at the age of 15. He returned to the UAE squad for the 2022 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. He scored 145 against Papua New Guinea in a warm-up match.{{cite news|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/cricket/2022/01/13/under-19-world-cup-kai-smith-wants-uae-to-rewrite-the-history-books-in-the-caribbean/|title=Under 19 World Cup: Kai Smith wants UAE to 'rewrite the history books' in the Caribbean|newspaper=The National|location=Abu Dhabi|date=13 January 2022|accessdate=7 January 2023|first=Paul|last=Radley}}
Smith played for the Rawalpindi Raiders in the 2022 Pakistan Junior League.
===England===
Smith was introduced to the Warwickshire County Cricket Club system by Dougie Brown, a former UAE coach. He was selected for the English Schools Cricket Association to play against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in September 2021. Smith made his List A debut for Warwickshire against Gloucestershire in the 2022 Royal London One-Day Cup in August 2022.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Warwickshire County Cricket Club squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Kai}}
Category:Warwickshire cricketers
Category:South African expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates