NEW DELHI: After a series of flop shows, Babar Azam’s difficult run in the Big Bash League (BBL) has come to an end, with the former Pakistan captain set to miss Sydney Sixers’ Challenger clash against Hobart Hurricanes.Babar will not be available for the knockout fixture after being recalled to Pakistan’s national camp ahead of the upcoming T20I series against Australia and the T20 World Cup.
The recall effectively rules him out of the remainder of the BBL season, even as calls grew for him to be dropped following a string of underwhelming performances.The stint in Australia was far from memorable for Babar. In 11 innings for the Sixers, he managed just 202 runs at an average of 22.44 and a strike rate of 103.06, numbers that stood out negatively in a tournament dominated by aggressive batting. While he did register two half-centuries, inconsistency plagued his campaign, with five single-digit scores highlighting his struggles at the top.The pressure around Babar intensified ahead of the must-win Challenger match, with questions raised over his place in the XI as the Sixers chased a spot in the final. However, the debate became irrelevant after his recall to the national side.Babar was also involved in a minor controversy during the tournament when Steve Smith denied him a single in a match against Sydney Thunder. The incident visibly upset the Pakistani batter, and Sixers captain Moises Henriques later admitted that it took a couple of days to smooth things over with him.Confirming the development, the Sydney Sixers wrote 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 play three T20Is against Australia starting January 29, ahead of the World Cup. Despite his recent struggles in the shortest format, Babar’s recall strongly indicates that he remains firmly in Pakistan’s plans, with the team hoping he rediscovers his rhythm against Australia.