Babar Azam-Steve Smith Controversy, Big Bash League: Pakistan's senior batter Babar Azam became a part of an embarrassing moment during the Big Bash League match between the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at the iconic SCG on Friday. During his stay at the crease, Babar was denied a single by Steve Smith, who smashed a century to help the Sixers register a dominating victory.
Babar, batting in the 40s at a strike rate of around 120, wanted a single on the last ball of the 11th over, but Smith rejected, much to the chagrin of the Pakistani. In the very next over, Smith took the full advantage of getting a strike as he smashed 32 runs off Ryan Hadley. Interestingly, Babar, who looked unhappy after Smith avoided taking a single, was dismissed in the very first ball of the next over.
Having departed for 47 runs in 39 balls, Babar walked off angrily, even hitting the boundary cushions with his bat. Reacting to the whole controversy, the former Pakistan captain, Basit Ali, believes Babar Azam has himself to blame for Steve Smith denying him the strike during the game. Notably, Smith went on to smash a fiery century and a 100-run knock in 42 balls on the back of five fours and nine sixes, which helped the Sixers chase down the 190-run target in 17.2 overs.
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Talking about the BBL incident with another former Pakistan player, Kamran Akmal, Basit started by saying that Smith ‘disrespected’ Babar. He went on to mention that the Australian batter wouldn't have even dared to do the same with Virat Kohli. "This shouldn’t have happened. I understand Smith hit a fast hundred. He could have told Babar before that the ball ‘Don’t take a single’. Not like this. This is a disrespect," Akmal said. “If Sydney Sixers aren’t happy with Babar, drop him. Don’t disrespect him like this. Make him sit out, only… But don’t do this," Akmal said.
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"Smith proved it next over. At one point, I thought he would hit 6 sixes in that over. He answered it, na? If Virat Kohli had wanted to take this single like Babar Azam, Steve Smith ka baap bhi single leta! (even Smith’s father would have accepted it." Basit said. “You have brought your own value down with your game. Pakistan’s name is not sullied by this. People who say that are fools. Babar went to play Big Bash because he was invited there, but the Pakistan cricket board didn’t send him," Basit Ali said.
Babar, along with Mohammad Rizwan, has faced huge criticism over their performances in the T20 cricket, with their strike rate being under the scanner during the BBL as well. In the BBL this year, Babar has managed only 201 runs at a strike-rate of 107.48.