Image Credit: Getty Images
Barmy Army, a fan club of England cricket team, received backlash and criticism from fans and netizens for their sickening tribute to Australia’s talismanic batter Steve Smith following his retirement from ODI cricket after the team's Champions Trophy exit.
Steve Smith decided to call time on his illustrious ODI career after Australia’s defeat to India in the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal. Smith was leading Australia in the marquee event after regular ODI skipper Pat Cummins was ruled out of the tournament due to ankle soreness. The 35-year-old captained an inexperienced Australia team which did not have the likes of Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Marcus Stoinis.
A day after Australia’s Champions Trophy 2025 exit, Steve Smith shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from the shorter format of the game. The veteran Australian cricketer took to his Instagram handle to announce his decision, stating that it has been ‘hell of a ride’ in ODI cricket while expressing his privilege to be part of the team that won two ODI World Cups in 2015 and 2019.
Cricket fans from across the world poured in their tributes for Steve Smith while applauding his contributions to the ODI cricket. However, one of England Cricket's popular fan clubs, Barmy Army, took a different approach to pay tribute to Steve Smith’s ODI career, which seemed to be very distasteful. Taking to their X handle (formerly), Barmy Army posted a picture of Smith getting run out in the 2019 World Cup match against England.
Along with the picture, Barmy Army wrote, “Steve Smith has retired from ODIs after Australia’s Champions Trophy exit. Here’s a picture of him getting out vs England in the 2019 World Cup.”
Barmy Army post on Steve Smith’s ODI retirementBarmy Army’s tweet on Steve Smith’s ODI retirement went viral on the platform, with several netizens and fans slamming them for their lack of sportsmanship and poor taste in marking the retirement of one of the greats. Many X users called the post ‘disrespectful’ and ‘low’, arguing that Smith deserved a dignified farewell despite rivalries between Australia and England.
Here’s how netizens reacted to Barmy Army’s postSteve Smith made his ODI debut for Australia against West Indies in 2010 and went on to cement his place in the team. Smith played 170 matches and amassed 5800 runs, including 12 centuries and 35 fifties, at an average of 43.28.
Steve Smith has had their rivalries with England over the years, especially in Test cricket, where he tormented the English bowling attack with his exceptional batting performances in multiple Ashes series. In ODIs against England, Smith has amassed 1245 runs, including a century, at an average of 36.61 and picked 15 wickets in 40 matches from 2010 to 2025. Smith’s last face off against England was in Australia’s opening match of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
