4 months ago
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Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam’s forgettable first-ever stint successful the Big Bash League (BBL) has ended with him returning location earlier Sydney Sixers’ eliminator lucifer against Hobart Hurricanes connected Friday (January 23, 2026).
The Sixers absorption announced that Babar would instrumentality location due to the fact that of his nationalist squad commitments.
In a video posted connected societal media platforms, Babar thanked the Sydney Sixers and his supporters for making his BBL quality a memorable one.
However, Babar endured a unsmooth clip successful this variation of the league scoring conscionable 202 runs successful 11 matches with conscionable 2 half-centuries.
His strike-rate was a mediocre 103 and averaged a specified 22.
His abrupt instrumentality from the league coincides with demands by immoderate erstwhile Australian players, including Mark Waugh, that the Sixers should driblet him for the eliminator.
But, initially, it was announced by Cricket Australia and the Pakistan Cricket Board that Babar would play the full tourney which ends connected January 25.
The location bid against Australia starts from January 29 and it has raised questions implicit the timing of his return.
Babar’s quality successful the league besides sparked a contention erstwhile his spouse Steve Smith refused a azygous to him portion the erstwhile was batting connected 47 from 58 balls.
Smith aboriginal completed a 100 astatine a strike-rate of 238.
Babar’s and erstwhile T20 opening partner, Muhammad Rizwan besides had a forgettable Big Bash scoring conscionable 188 successful 10 innings astatine a onslaught complaint of 102 and successful 1 lucifer was recalled from batting by Melbourne Renegades due to the fact that of his dilatory pace.
Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who returned location midway due to the fact that of an injury, excessively had a mediocre BBL season. All 3 Pakistan cricketers were appearing successful the Big Bash for the archetypal time.
