Babar Azam was dismissed for his third single-digit score in four Big Bash League outings, after edging a Tom Curran delivery to first slip.
Babar, who made his BBL debut this season, did not have the greatest outing in his first game for the Sydney Sixers, after falling for a five-ball two against the Scorchers. Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi, both of whom debuted in the first round of the league, did not have the greatest encounters either: While Rizwan made 4 for Melbourne Renegades, Shaheen had to be taken off the attack after bowling two over-head-high no-balls.
Babar registered nine off 10 deliveries in the next game against the Adelaide Strikers, but turned around his form in the next game against the Thunder. Opening the batting alongside Daniel Hughes, Babar scored 58 in 42 balls with the help of two sixes and five fours. He struck at 138.09 in the total of 198-5, with Josh Philippe contributing a 57-ball 96.
Match 11, Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars
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- Ball by ball Over
Babar Azam falls for yet another low score in the BBL
On Friday (December 26), Babar was unable to get going against Melbourne Stars: He scored two runs off the first two balls that he faced, but struggled against Tom Curran in the second over. He was beaten on the first ball, and then failed to connect on the next. Babar was beaten again on the third ball, with the back of a length delivery curving away from the batter. The former Pakistan skipper played out a dot on the fourth ball before he attempted to drive the fuller delivery outside the off stump. He only managed to get an outside edge that flew to first slip, with Glenn Maxwell holding onto a sharp catch.
Babar, who was dropped from the T20I side at the start of the year and asked to improve on his strike rate, made a Pakistan comeback in October. He has scored 277 runs in 12 innings since then, at a strike rate of 113.52.
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