Babar Azam managed 202 runs in 11 games with two fifties for Sixers in BBL 15.
Babar Azam bid goodbye to the Sydney Sixers as his maiden stint for them in the ongoing BBL 15 season came to an end. Babar will miss the Sydney Sixers' playoff encounter against the Hobart Hurricanes on Friday (January 23) and the final against the Perth Scorchers on Sunday (January 25), assuming Sydney qualifies.
This is because the ace batter has been asked to join the Pakistan team for the upcoming T20I series against Australia, which starts next Thursday (29 January).
“First of all, I would like to thank the Sydney Sixers for having me, all the boys, and quickies. I really enjoyed my time here. Unfortunately, I have to leave now because of national duty. I take a lot of things back home. Special thanks to Sydney Sixers fans for a lot of support and fun; I enjoyed the vibes at Sydney Cricket Ground. Thank you so much,” Babar stated in a video shared by Sydney Sixers.
Babar Azam had a disappointing time in his maiden outing in the BBL 2025-26 season for the Sixers. He struggled to adjust to the pace of the league and managed 202 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 103.06.
Some would argue that Babar, who was in danger of being benched for the Hobart Hurricanes playoff game, was fortunate to be called up to the Pakistan team.
One of the prominent voices on Wednesday who advocated for the Sixers to sit Babar for the pivotal games was former Australian batter Mark Waugh.
“They need to rejigger their batting because, at the moment, they are almost totally reliant on Steve Smith. Sam Curran got them out of jail in another game. He’s gone. So, at the moment, there aren’t a lot of players in form,” Waugh said.
“So, I’m bringing in either Daniel Hughes or Jordan Silk. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to drop Babar Azam. You know, I don’t think he’s done enough at the top of the order. I know he’s world-class, but when you’re thinking about winning this tournament, so far, he just hasn’t delivered,” Waugh added.
Babar was dismissed for a duck in his last BBL knock, against the Perth Scorchers.