Babar Azam will miss Sydney Sixers’ Challenger clash against Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League after being recalled to Pakistan’s national camp ahead of the upcoming T20I series against Australia and the T20 World Cup.

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The recall ends speculation over his availability for the must-win encounter, where a place in the BBL final is at stake. In recent days, there had been calls to drop the former Pakistan captain following a modest run of form, but the decision is now academic with Babar set to leave Australia.

Babar’s BBL stint was also marked by controversy. During a match against Sydney Thunder, he was visibly upset after Steve Smith denied him a single, an incident that drew attention. Sixers captain Moises Henriques later revealed that it took a couple of days to smooth things over with the Pakistani batter.

On the field, Babar struggled to make a consistent impact. He scored 202 runs in 11 innings at an average of 22.44 and a strike rate of 103.06, registering two half-centuries. However, he was dismissed for single-digit scores in five of those innings, underlining his inconsistent campaign.

Confirming his departure, the Sydney Sixers posted on X:
“Thank you, Babar. Babar Azam has been recalled to join Pakistan’s national camp ahead of the upcoming international fixtures. He will be unavailable for the remainder of the BBL|15 Finals Series.”

Pakistan are scheduled to tour Australia for a three-match T20I series beginning January 29, with the World Cup to follow soon after. Babar is expected to join the national squad immediately, a move that all but confirms his inclusion in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup plans.

While his recent T20 form has been under scrutiny, Pakistan will be hoping the series against Australia provides Babar the opportunity to rediscover his rhythm ahead of the global event.