Babar Azam's inaugural Big Bash League (BBL) season with the Sydney Sixers has ended prematurely, prompting severe criticism and raising questions about his T20 form ahead of the T20 World Cup. The former Pakistan captain has been recalled to join Pakistan's national camp ahead of the upcoming international fixtures. The Sydney Sixers acknowledged Babar's departure in a social media post, stating, "Thank you, Babar. Babar Azam has been recalled to join Pakistan's national camp ahead of upcoming international fixtures. He will be unavailable for the remainder of the BBL|15 Finals Series".
Babar's BBL stint was statistically underwhelming, marked by an unwanted milestone. In 11 matches, he scored 202 runs at an average of 22.44 and a strike rate of 103.06. This strike rate is reportedly the lowest among all players who have scored 200 or more runs in a single BBL season. While he recorded two half-centuries, Babar struggled with consistency, notching five single-digit scores.
Adding to the on-field struggles, Babar was involved in a controversy during a Sydney derby match. Steve Smith denied him a single to retain the strike, a decision that visibly upset Babar. Sixers captain Moises Henriques admitted that it took a couple of days to smooth things over after the incident.
Mark Waugh, former Australian cricketer, had suggested that Babar should be dropped from the Sixers' playing XI. Questions arose about his place in the team as the Sixers approached a must-win Challenger match.
Despite the criticism and premature ending to his BBL season, Babar's recall to the Pakistan national team indicates that he remains a key part of their plans for the upcoming T20I series against Australia and the T20 World Cup. Pakistan is scheduled to play three T20Is against Australia starting January 29. The team hopes he rediscovers his form in time for these crucial matches.
Babar's slow strike rate had been a point of concern during the tournament. There were concerns that he was prioritizing his wicket at the expense of the team's run rate. In one instance, his former T20 opening partner, Mohammad Rizwan, was recalled from batting by the Melbourne Renegades due to his slow pace. Another incident involved Babar reportedly refusing to shake hands after Steve Smith denied him a single against the Sydney Thunder.
Babar thanked the Sydney Sixers for the opportunity in a statement: "First of all, thank you so much Sydney Sixers for having me, all the boys, all the coaches and I have very (sic) enjoyed my time". The Sixers will play the Hobart Hurricanes on Friday for a chance to face the Perth Scorchers in the final.
