New Delhi: After delivering flop performances with the bat, Babar Azam’s difficult stint in the Big Bash League (BBL) has come to an end, with the former Pakistan captain set to miss the Sydney Sixers’ challenger match against Hobart Hurricanes.
He will miss the rest of the BBL season after being recalled to the Pakistan national camp ahead of the upcoming series against Australia and the 2026 T20 World Cup. Babar was initially available for the full season and was also not selected in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in early January.
Pakistan will play three T20Is against Australia starting on January 29, but all of Australia’s players who are still playing in the BBL will remain with their respective teams until after the final, and the rest of the squad will fly to the UAE for a pre-tour camp on January 24.
Babar ends his first stint in the Big Bash League with 202 runs from 11 matches at an average of 22.44 and striking at just 103.06 despite hitting two fifties. The Sydney Sixers released a statement and said that Babar will depart Australia immediately and will not be available for selection in the remaining matches.
“The Sydney Sixers have today been informed that Sixers opener Babar Azam is required to return to Pakistan to join his national teammates in camp, as preparations commence for upcoming international matches,” the statement said.
The announcement came just two days after Sixers captain Moises Henriques revealed that Babar took a couple of days to get over after being upset with Steve Smith refusing him a single against the Sydney Thunder.
‘I will now have to leave the team, to go to the national duty’: Babar Azam
Babar, in a statement, thanked the Sydney Sixers, players and all the coaches for including him in the team, and said that he enjoyed his time.
“Unfortunately, I will now have to leave the team, to go to the national duty. I have a lot of things I have to take back home- a lot of fun, a lot of positive things, so I have enjoyed it a lot,” Babar said in a statement.
A message from Babar before he heads back to Pakistan to join his national teammates in camp 🩷 pic.twitter.com/0vO0Nuokzw
— Sydney Sixers (@SixersBBL) January 22, 2026
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