Sixers pick Babar in their BBL draft selection, making it his maiden BBL deal in the competition during his career.
Sydney Sixers pick Babar Azam for his maiden BBL deal.
For the forthcoming BBL season, the Sydney Sixers have signed Babar Azam, the best batter in Pakistan, as a pre-draft pick. Babar, who was signed as an international recruit by the Sixers before to the overseas draft on June 19, will join Steven Smith in the team.
Each BBL team is permitted to sign one foreign recruit prior to the draft, per league regulations. The Sixers were the only team that hadn’t signed an overseas player beforehand. Sean Abbott, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Todd Murphy, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, and Jordan Silk are now part of the Sixers team in addition to Babar and Smith.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to play in one of the world’s best T20 leagues and to be a part of such a successful and respected franchise,” Babar said in a Sixers release. “I’m looking forward to contributing to the team’s success, building a strong connection with the fans, and sharing this experience with my friends, family and supporters at home in Pakistan.”
Although they will all be included in the overseas draft next week, Pakistani players Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, and Muhammad Rizwan are also expected to play in the BBL.
Babar has played 320 T20 matches so far, most recently leading Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL. He has a plethora of T20 experience. Babar led Zalmi in scoring with 288 runs from 10 innings at a strike rate of 128.57, despite his team finishing second from bottom.
However, Babar has lost favour with Pakistan’s national T20 team after being benched earlier this year. He has participated in a number of T20 leagues throughout the world, such as the Vitality Blast in England and the CPL, BPL, and LPL.
“Babar’s resume speaks for itself,” Sixers general manager Rachael Haynes said. “The skill, professionalism, and experience that he brings is of enormous value to our playing group and the news is obviously incredibly exciting for our fans.
“He is a world-class player and a proven leader. He’s not only a huge addition to our club, but to the league as a whole. The Sixers strive to be a destination club on the global stage – from playing at the iconic SCG to delivering world-class match day experiences and signing the top talent from around the world – and securing a player of Babar’s calibre only further strengthens that vision.”