Watch: Babar Azam fails again in BBL 15 against Adelaide Strikers

There has been a lot of expectation from the former Pakistan captain, Babar Azam, who was signed by the Sydney Sixers for his maiden season of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025/26. The anticipation was to see the right-handed batter going berserk at the bowlers with his exceptional skills with the bat. But things have not gone as planned for the Sixers.

In the opening clash of the tournament, Babar fell for just two runs in five deliveries at the Optus Stadium in Perth as he was bounced out to the short ball and couldn’t keep the ball in the ground. The Sixers reached their home, the Sydney Cricket Ground, where they faced the Adelaide Strikers in their second fixture.

Babar started well with a boundary flicked on the leg side against the left-arm pacer, Luke Wood, who was a little bit on the legs of the batter, looking to swing the ball away. But he tried the same shot again, and it was more aerial from the previous one, only to find the fielder, Matthew Short, to be dismissed on nine runs in 10 balls.

Babar Azam dismissed for 9 in BBL 2025/26 vs Adelaide Strikers

That was another poor innings from the right-handed opening batter as the anxiety grew for the Babar fans to see him coming back in form. His partner at the top, Daniel Hughes, also returned with a low score of 11 runs at run-a-ball, while the number three batter, Josh Phillippe, cracked 46 runs in 28 balls at a strike rate of 164.29.

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In the middle order of the Sixers, Jack Wadwards smashed a fine knock of 32 runs in 21 balls with the help of three boundaries and one six at a strike rate of 152.38, which helped the home side to finish on 159/9 in their allotted 20 overs.

Wood was the peak of the bowlers with figures of 3/26 in four overs at an economy rate of 6.50. Jamie Overton ended up with 2/22 in four overs at an economy rate of 5.50. Lloyd Pope also got two wickets.