The poor performance streak of Pakistani players in Australia's Big Bash League continues unabated. Particularly, while the inclusion of star players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in this league was heavily promoted, their on-field performance has been equally disappointing. They have batted in T20 cricket as if they were playing ODIs or Test matches, which has left spectators frustrated. The latest example of this was seen in the match between the Sydney Sixers and the Hobart Hurricanes. Although the match was eventually cancelled, for as long as it lasted, Babar was seen batting in Test match style.
ALSO READ । WPL 2026 Day 2: Gujarat Giants dominate in a run-fest as Mumbai Indians bounce back with authority
This match between the Sixers and the Hurricanes was held in Sydney on Sunday (January 11), which lasted only up to 5 overs. Sydney batted first, where Babar Azam and Steve Smith opened together for the first time. However, rain arrived before the powerplay ended, and the match was stopped. Play could not resume after that. Sydney had scored 32 runs without losing any wickets in their 5 overs.
Babar continues to fail
Although the match was not completed, during Sydney's batting innings, questions were once again raised about Babar Azam's suitability to play in this league. The partnership of Babar and Smith is not a very strong option for the T20 opening. Moreover, Babar Azam batted as if he were playing a Test match. The former Pakistan captain scored only 9 runs off 14 balls, which included one four. Despite playing since the start of the league, he has been failing to score quickly. In contrast, Smith, who had returned from playing a Test series just three days ago, played an innings of 19 runs off 16 balls.
ALSO READ । Shreyas Iyer marks dream comeback with stunning bullet throw run-out against New Zealand
Babar-Rizwan fall short in strike rate
However, Babar's problem is not limited to this innings alone; he has been struggling to score runs throughout the tournament. So far, he has scored only 154 runs in 8 innings, which includes two half-centuries, but his strike rate is only 104.05. He is ranked 66th in the league in terms of strike rate, where many bowlers also have better strike rates than him. It's not just Babar; his Pakistani teammate Mohammad Rizwan's condition is even worse. This wicket-keeper batsman playing for Melbourne Renegades has scored only 141 runs in 7 innings. His strike rate is only 100 and he has not been able to score a single half-century.
