Courtesy: Sydney Sixers
On Friday, June 13, Sydney Sixers announced the signing of Pakistan cricketer Babar Azam for the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26 season, which will begin later this year in Australia. The 30-year-old, who is one of the most sought-after players in world cricket despite his recent struggles, will be bringing his ability to put together consistent scores at a decent strike-rate apart from his leadership skills to Sydney Sixers during the 15th edition of the BBL.
As per the rules of the BBL, each of the teams are allowed to pre-sign a player from international level ahead of the draft, which is set to go down on June 19. Taking advantage of the rule, Sydney Sixers brought Babar Azam on board , who has captained the Pakistan cricket team in all formats of the game from 2019 to 2024, taking them to the final of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2022, which was coincidentally held down under.
I’m very proud to be joining the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming season: Babar Azam
After becoming the ICC Men’s cricketer of the Year in 2022, Babar Azam has been on a downward spiral with the bat in all formats of the game, but still, he brings a lot of value to any side, and Sydney Sixers will be looking to make use of it. In a video released by the team after the Pakistan superstar’s signing, he said, “Hey guys, super pumped to be joining the Sydney Sixers. Cannot wait to share the dressing room with my favorite batter, Steve Smith, and world-class bowler, Josh Hazlewood.”
“I have always loved playing in Australia, but making my BBL debut will be something special. So I'm really excited and looking forward to getting over there and meeting my crazy cricket fans.... I’m very proud to be joining the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming season. 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,” remarked Babar Azam, showcasing his excitement about being a part of BBL for the first-time in his illustrious career.
