Smith and Babar stitched a dominant 141-run partnership for the opening wicket.
Australia's star batter Steve Smith explained his decision to deny Babar Azam a single during Sydney Sixers’ chase against Sydney Thunder at the SCG on Friday (January 16) in the Big Bash League.
Chasing 190 to win, the pair stitched a dominant 141-run partnership for the opening wicket. However, a moment of friction unfolded in the 11th over that left the former Pakistan skipper frustrated.
After playing three successive dot balls from Chris Green, Babar drove the final delivery to long-on and took off for an easy single. But, Smith -- standing at the non-striker's end -- firmly sent his partner back, opting not to take the run so he could retain strike for the next over.
It was a strategic move as Smith wanted to be on strike to take the 'Power Surge'. The Australian legend made the most of fielding restrictions, taking Ryan Hadley to the cleaners by hammering four consecutive sixes and a four in a 32-run over.
While Babar wasn't happy to be undermined by the Australian, Smith broke his silence on denying the single after the match.
"We spoke at the ten-over mark, and they [the captain and coach] said take the surge straightaway," Smith told Channel 7. "I was like, 'Nah, give it one over. I want to hit to the short boundary. I don't want to screw up the first over. I'll try to get 30 off that over'. [I] think we got 32, so it was a good result."
"Not sure Babar was too happy with me knocking back that single," he added with a smile on his face.
Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc backed Smith over his no-single controversy with Babar, saying thay his compatriot wanted to take on a favorable match-up.
“I didn’t actually see it," Starc said. “I kind of heard something from someone else just before, but I haven’t seen it. So [I] might have to go and have a look, and make an opinion from there. I mean it’s part of T20 cricket if you see a match-up you like [that]. Clearly he [Smith] did, and took it for 34 [32] or something like that. That’s what we want in the surge. We’ve kind of seen it with teams retiring batters as well – you see a match-up that might be better or whatever it may be. So, yes, Smithy must have liked that match-up, and took him on."
The 141-run partnership was dominated by Steve Smith as Babar Azam fell for 47 in 39 balls with 7 fours.
Smith, on the other hand, slammed a 41-ball century, making 100 in 42 balls with the help of 5 fours and 9 sixes. This was the second-fastest century in BBL history, and he helped the Sixers win the game by 5 wickets in 17.2 overs.