Tag: Babar Azam

Pakistan’s batting superstar Babar Azam has reacted to his signing with the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) 15 on Friday.

The franchise based in Sydney called this signing ‘one of the biggest acquisitions in the league’s history’ in their announcement.

“The Sydney Sixers are thrilled to announce the signing of Pakistan superstar Babar Azam for the upcoming KFC BBL|15 season, marking one of the biggest acquisitions in the league’s history,” the franchise said in a statement.

“Widely regarded as one of the premier batters of the modern era, Azam is set to bring his trademark class, consistency, and match-winning ability to the Sixers this summer.”

Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain expressed his pride at joining the Sixers for the 15th edition of the marquee league.

“I’m very proud to be joining the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming season,” Babar said, reacting to the blockbuster deal.

Babar, who has played extensively in Australia across formats, is eagerly looking forward to making his BBL debut, something he had been eyeing for a while.

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“It’s an exciting opportunity to play in one of the world’s best T20 leagues and to be a part of such a successful and respected franchise,” he added.

The former Pakistan captain also expressed his desire to connect with fans, both in Australia and back home in Pakistan, through his performances in the Sixers jersey.

“I’m looking forward to contributing to the team’s success, building a strong connection with the fans, and sharing this experience with my friends, family and supporters at home in Pakistan,” he further stated.

Calling it an honour to share the dressing room with some of the biggest names in world cricket, Babar couldn’t hide his excitement about teaming up with the Sixers’ elite.

“I’m very excited to share the dressing room with world-class players like Steve Smith and Josh Hazlewood,” he remarked.

Despite his vast experience in Australian conditions, Babar admitted he is especially thrilled about this new chapter.

“I’ve played a lot of cricket in Australia, but I’ve been eagerly waiting for a chance to feature in the BBL,” Babar concluded.

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Pakistan’s batting maestro Babar Azam has officially joined the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season 15, the franchise confirmed on Friday.

The prolific right-hander, who boasts over 14,000 international runs and a mountain of accolades, including the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year award in 2022, will be available for the entirety of the season.

Currently ranked 12th in the ICC’s T20I batting rankings, Babar brings not only consistency but class to the Sixers’ lineup.

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With 11,330 T20 runs at an average of 43.07, no player in the format’s history has scored more runs with a better average.

Sixers General Manager, Rachael Haynes, said the club was thrilled to secure a player of Babar’s quality.

“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Babar Azam to the Sixers this summer,” said Haynes.

“Babar’s resume speaks for itself. The skill, professionalism, and experience that he brings are of enormous value to our playing group, and the news is obviously incredibly exciting for our fans.

“He is a world-class player and a proven leader. He’s not only a huge addition to our club, but to the league as a whole.

“We can’t wait to welcome Babar into our group later this year, and we know our members and fans will be thrilled to see him in Sixers colours.”

The Sixers — three-time BBL champions — now have a formidable squad with the likes of Steve Smith, Moises Henriques, Sean Abbott, and Babar Azam leading the charge.

READ: Babar Azam’s cover drive earns mention during WTC Final at Lord’s

Pakistan’s batting maestro Babar Azam once again found his name echoing in elite cricketing circles, this time during the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023–25 final between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s.

It wasn’t his innings that sparked conversation this time, but his iconic cover drive, a stroke that has long been admired by purists, which became a point of analysis during the commentary by former England captain and seasoned broadcaster Nasser Hussain.

While dissecting the technical shortcomings that led to the dismissals of Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne and South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton, Hussain invoked the elegance and precision of Babar’s signature shot.

“Well, the cover drive is one of the most pleasing shots on the eye. You think of Ian Bell, Virat Kohli and Babar Azam,” Hussain remarked on air, drawing parallels between the grace of greats and the flawed execution that cost both batters their wickets.

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He then elaborated using South Africa’s Temba Bavuma as a technical reference point, explaining how the coordination of the hands is critical when playing the cover drive.

“Rickelton, his hands worked against each other, and that closes the bat’s face slightly, and you nick it. Same here with Marnus Labuschagne — look how he loses control of his bat handle and bat face,” Hussain observed.

Notably, this isn’t the first time Hussain has showered praise on the iconic cover drive of Babar Azam.

Back in 2022, the former England skipper had gone a step further, calling it the most textbook version of the shot and one he would use to teach young boys the fundamentals of batting.

“I’m going to be biased here, sorry Indian fans, but I’m going for Babar Azam’s cover drive,” Hussain had said then. “It’s totally exceptional. If I’m teaching a young boy, I’d definitely ask him to watch Babar’s cover drive.”

READ: PCB considering former all-rounder for Test head coach role: sources

Pakistan star batter Babar Azam is likely to join the Sydney Sixers in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) 15 as a teaser video hints at a major signing. 

The Sydney Sixers hinted at the potential signing of Babar Azam on its social media platform, creating excitement among fans.

The three-time BBL champions have yet to reveal further details of Babar Azam’s contract.

 

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For the unversed, this year’s BBL draft, scheduled for 19 June, is expected to be one of the most competitive yet, with over 600 overseas players putting their names forward.

The full list of nominations will be announced in the lead-up to the draft.

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Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain were among the Pakistan players who had registered for the upcoming draft of the BBL season 15.

Alongside the Pakistani player, the draft list also features England’s Sam Curran and Alex Hales, New Zealand duo Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee, Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera, and West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph.

Brisbane Heat hold the No. 1 pick for the men’s draft and will have the first chance to pick from a star-studded pool.

The women’s draft for WBBL 11 will run parallel, and Pakistan women’s captain Fatima Sana is part of the nomination list.

Other big names include England’s Heather Knight, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge; India’s Jemimah Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey; South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail and Chloe Tryon; and West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin.

READ: Mohammad Yousuf steps down as Pakistan’s batting coach

Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has thrown his support behind the experienced duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, stating that they will prove everyone wrong if they adjust their approach to playing T20 cricket.

While speaking on a sports platform, Imad commented on Pakistan’s new white-ball head coach’s approach to playing modern-day cricket.

“Simple is that — that should be the message and if they are willing to change it, if they want to play happy for them because they are such big players such big names for Pakistan and fans because people want to see them play like this and I am specifically talking about T20 cricket,” Imad said when asked about Babar Azam’s and Mohammad Rizwan place in T20I team.

Imad Wasim clarified the earlier criticism of Babar Azam’s place in the Pakistan team.

He further emphasised that both players need to reflect on their approach in T20 cricket while believing in their ability to bounce back in the shorter format.

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“I am not talking about ODI or Test cricket because in ODI cricket Babar has got the best record in the world he will never be dropped to be honest and even in Test cricket so no question about Babar’s performance like it’s 50-over format you need some players to play like that and Babar does it better than anyone else in the world so One-Day cricket is totally different,” he explained.

“But T20 I am talking about, I think they need to reflect if they want to play T20 cricket and I know they can play and hopefully they will turn up and prove everybody wrong and I should be the one who will praise them,” Imad Wasim. concluded.

It is noteworthy to mention that former Pakistan captain Babar Azam last played a T20I in December 2023. Since then, he has missed both the home series against New Zealand in March and the ongoing three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, which began on May 28 in Lahore.

READ: Usama Mir, Mohammad Hasnain among new entrants in BBL 15 draft pool

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to 13 players, including Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, allowing them to participate in various global franchise leagues.

Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, and Shadab Khan have confirmed their availability for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) Draft, which is scheduled for June 19.

As a result, the cricket board has issued NOC to the quartet from December 14 to 28.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the PCB provided a list of the 13 players who have been granted NOCs to compete in overseas leagues worldwide.

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi have specifically received NOCs to take part in the Big Bash League in 2025. The PCB issued these NOCs to the three senior players, who have been absent from Pakistan’s T20I squad recently.

Earlier this year, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were dropped from the national team for the T20I series against New Zealand. They, along with Shaheen Afridi, also missed the recent T20I home series against Bangladesh.

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Additionally, the cricket board issued an NOC to Mohammad Nawaz, permitting him to first participate in the Guyana Super League, followed by participation in another unnamed league.

Muhammad Hassan Khan has also received clearance from the PCB to play in the same unnamed league.

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has been granted an NOC until July 18 to play for Essex in the T20 Blast.

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has been granted an NOC to represent Leicestershire in the County Championship until September 1.

Furthermore, the PCB issued NOCs to pacers Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, and Khurram Shahzad for participation in the County Championship.

Emerging Batter Khawaja Nafay has also received permission to participate in the Global Super League.

READ: Pakistan, West Indies set to scrap ODIs from bilateral series: Reports

Mohammad Haris lit up Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday night with a record-breaking performance, surpassing Babar Azam and Ahmed Shehzad to become Pakistan’s second-fastest centurion in T20I history.

The wicketkeeper-batter powered an unbeaten 107 off just 46 balls in the final T20I against Bangladesh, an innings studded with eight boundaries and seven towering sixes at a strike rate of 232.60.

His fireworks not only sealed a 3-0 series sweep for Pakistan but also earned him the Player of the Match accolade.

Haris reached his maiden T20I hundred in just 45 deliveries, eclipsing Babar’s 49-ball effort against South Africa (2021) and Shehzad’s 58-ball ton against Bangladesh (2014).

Only Hasan Nawaz stands ahead of him, courtesy of a 44-ball century against New Zealand earlier this year.

Fastest T20I Centuries for Pakistan:

• 44 balls – Hasan Nawaz vs New Zealand, Auckland, 2025

• 45 balls – Mohammad Haris vs Bangladesh, Lahore, 2025

• 49 balls – Babar Azam vs South Africa, Centurion, 2021

• 58 balls – Ahmed Shehzad vs Bangladesh, Dhaka, 2014

• 58 balls – Babar Azam vs New Zealand, Lahore, 2023

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Pakistan’s chase against Bangladesh began shakily with Sahibzada Farhan falling for 1 (4) to Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the first over.

But Mohammad Haris and Saim Ayub settled nerves quickly with an attacking 56-run stand in the powerplay.

The pair went on to add 92 runs for the second wicket, with Saim playing a fluent hand of 45 off 29 before falling to Tanzim Hasan with Pakistan at 100-2 in the 10th over.

Haris, unfazed by the loss, reached his half-century in the 11th over and continued to dictate terms. Hasan Nawaz added a brisk 26 off 13 before Mehidy struck again, but the chase was well in hand by then.

Captain Salman Ali Agha chipped in with 14* (11), but the night belonged to Haris, who stayed till the end to finish the job in style.

Pakistan romped home in just 17.1 overs, closing out the series with a clean sweep.

READ: South Africa’s explosive batter announces retirement from international cricket

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has thrown his weight behind the decision to exclude star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the national T20I team.

Babar and Rizwan were dropped earlier this year for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, a decision the selection committee described as a move to test younger players ahead of the T20 World Cup.

The star batters have also been left out of the ongoing home series against Bangladesh.

Speaking on a recent podcast, Kamran Akmal addressed the growing speculation that both batters might be permanently phased out of Pakistan’s T20 plans.

“That’s absolutely the right decision,” said the 43-year-old. “I believe this should happen because these players are more suited for the longer format of the game.”

Taking it a step further, Akmal even questioned their place in the ODI setup, suggesting that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan should focus solely on red-ball cricket moving forward.

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“After another six months, they should be sidelined from ODIs too. Pakistan hardly plays Test matches these days — no one’s even talking about them — but if real players are made anywhere, it’s through Test cricket,” he remarked.

The former wicket-keeper reiterated the foundational value of red-ball cricket, asserting that mastering Test cricket improves a cricketer’s game across all formats.

“You can’t just play T20 and expect to be great at Test cricket too. If someone plays Test matches, they can handle ODIs and T20Is as well,” Kamran Akmal added.

It’s worth noting that a new-look Pakistan side, under Salman Ali Agha’s captaincy, managed to win only one game during the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.

However, they had a strong start to their current home series against Bangladesh, winning the first match by 37 runs.

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Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has thrown his weight behind Babar Azam, calling the prolific batter “absolute class” amid his continued exclusion from the T20I squad.

Babar, along with wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, was dropped earlier this year for the five-match T20I series in New Zealand, a decision the selection committee defended as an opportunity to test younger talent.

Since then, neither Babar nor Rizwan has featured in the shortest format, with both players also left out of the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh, beginning tomorrow (May 28) in Lahore.

In another shake-up, Rizwan was removed from the T20I captaincy after just two series, with Salman Ali Agha now leading the side.

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Speaking in a recent interview with a local sports platform, Mickey Arthur made his stance clear that he would never leave Babar out of his XI.

“It’s an interesting one. I would always have Babar Azam in the team,” Arthur said. “I think he’s a wonderful player. I’m not sure what’s happened over the past couple of years, but the Babar I know is absolute class.”

Mickey Arthur, who coached Pakistan during one of its most successful white-ball periods in recent memory, also praised Mohammad Rizwan for his adaptability and skillset, especially behind the stumps.

“If Rizwan is your best wicketkeeper, then he has a role to play,” he noted. “He can adapt his game to fit wherever the team needs him. It’s about making the most of his abilities.”

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s newly appointed head coach, Mike Hesson, has expressed confidence in the abilities of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, calling them vital to the team’s white-ball strategy.

Both senior players were previously dropped for the T20I series against New Zealand earlier this year, a move by the selection committee aimed at giving younger players international exposure.

Rizwan, after leading the side in just two series, was also relieved of T20I captaincy duties, with Salman Ali Agha stepping in as the new skipper.

Speaking to the media here, Hesson praised Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s abilities while highlighting specific areas for improvement.

“Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are top-class players. Both are a part of our white-ball plans,” He told reporters.

“There are areas where they can improve, and they are working on those,” he added.

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Mike Hesson emphasised an aggressive brand of cricket, stating that they are very clear about the style of play they want to adopt.

“We want to play aggressive cricket, but also smart cricket. We’re very clear about the brand of cricket we want to play,” Mike Hesson explained.

Mike Hesson’s first assignment will be a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh.

“Our aim is to begin this new journey on a positive note and perform well to improve our rankings,” he said of the home series against Bangladesh.

The new coach further lauded Bangladesh as a competitive opponent and ruled out any complacency, “They are a strong side and play good cricket. We will not take them lightly.”

Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup, Hesson concluded, “We are fully focused on preparing well for the World Cup and are optimistic about putting in a strong performance during the tournament.”

READ: ‘I’ve done it too’: Imad Wasim on Sikandar Raza’s last-minute arrival in PSL final