Pakistan’s veteran batter Babar Azam rediscovered his touch in the Big Bash League, producing a match-winning half-century for the Sydney Sixers against the Melbourne Renegades. Opening the batting, Babar anchored the chase with a composed knock, guiding the Sixers to a comfortable victory and silencing doubts after a shaky start to the season.
Babar Azam ends lean patch with timely BBL fifty
One of the marquee signings of the BBL, Babar endured a difficult beginning to the tournament, registering back-to-back single-digit scores against the Perth Scorchers and Adelaide Strikers. While he briefly found form against the Sydney Thunder, another low score against the Melbourne Stars raised questions about his rhythm.
Those concerns eased against the Renegades, as Babar showed patience and control before shifting gears at the right moment. His knock proved decisive in a crucial fixture for the Sixers.
Batting first, the Renegades posted a competitive 164, built on contributions from Josh Brown, Hassan Khan and Jake Fraser-McGurk. However, the total fell short as the Sixers paced their chase well and reached the target with five balls remaining.
Daniel Hughes provided early stability at the top, allowing Babar time to settle. Conscious of recent dismissals, the Pakistan batter initially played within himself, rotating the strike and assessing conditions. As the required run rate climbed beyond nine an over, Babar switched gears, exploiting the field restrictions during the power surge.
A vital 42-run stand with skipper Moises Henriques steadied the chase. Although Henriques departed after a brisk 23 off 18 balls, Babar carried on unfazed, ensuring the Sixers never lost control.
He remained unbeaten on 58 off 46 deliveries, striking four boundaries and a six, and sealed the win with a boundary. Joel Davies provided the finishing flourish with an explosive 34 off just 15 balls, as the pair added 51 runs to take the Sixers home in the final over.
The victory marked Sydney Sixers’ second win of the BBL 2025–26 season, lifting them to fifth place on the points table.
Boost to T20 World Cup prospects
Babar Azam, who missed selection for Pakistan’s upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka due to his BBL commitments, had seen his T20 World Cup prospects come under scrutiny following a string of low scores. This confident innings, however, could prove vital in restoring faith ahead of the global tournament.
The Sixers next face Brisbane Heat, while Pakistan are set to begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club.
