Babar Azam’s maiden Big Bash League journey has come to an abrupt end, with the Sydney Sixers confirming that the Pakistan batter has been recalled for national duty ahead of an upcoming T20I series against Australia.
The Sixers announced on Thursday that their opener would miss the remainder of the tournament after being called back to join Pakistan’s team camp. The update came on the eve of the Sixers’ Challenger Final against Hobart Hurricanes, with the winner set to face Perth Scorchers in Sunday’s BBL final in Perth.
In a video message shared by the Sixers and the BBL on social media, Babar expressed gratitude to the franchise and its coaching staff.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time here,” he said. “Unfortunately, I have to leave due to national duty. I’m taking a lot of learnings back home with me.”
Pakistan are yet to officially announce their squad for the three-match T20I series against Australia, which begins on January 29 in Lahore and serves as a build-up to next month’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. So far, the Pakistan Cricket Board has not issued a formal statement regarding Babar’s recall.
According to Cricinfo, Babar was initially available for the full BBL season and was not named in Pakistan’s recent T20I series against Sri Lanka earlier this month. Sydney Sixers general manager Rachael Haynes confirmed the original plan was for Babar to see out the tournament.
“We were sincerely grateful for the opportunity to have Babar represent the club during his time in Australia,” Haynes said.
Meanwhile, Australian players still involved in the BBL will remain with their franchises until after the final on January 25, with the rest of the national squad scheduled to depart for a pre-tour camp in the UAE on January 24.
Babar’s exit also comes amid growing scrutiny over his form in the tournament. Earlier this week, Sixers captain Moises Henriques revealed that the Pakistan star was “quite upset” and took “a couple of days” to settle after Steven Smith denied him a single during a match against Sydney Thunder.
Adding to the debate, former Australia batter and commentator Mark Waugh publicly questioned Babar’s place in the Sixers’ XI during a Fox Cricket broadcast.
“I don’t think he’s done enough at the top of the order,” Waugh said. “He’s world-class, but if you’re thinking about winning the tournament, so far he hasn’t delivered enough. I’d be looking at a new opener.”
Babar ends his first BBL stint with 202 runs from 11 matches, averaging 22.44 with a strike rate of 103.06. Despite registering two half-centuries, his numbers fell short of expectations in a format that demands quick scoring at the top.
