Steve Smith Nails Call, Babar Azam Left Fuming

The Big Bash League 2025-26 has not been shy of drama and entertainment. The Sydney Sixers’ Sydney derby against the Thunder was, itself, laden with emotion.

After David Warner scored his second century of the campaign, ending not out on 110 off 65 deliveries, to buoy the Thunder to a sub-par 189/6 on a batting pitch, the Sixers started in solid fashion.

The openers, Steve Smith and Babar Azam, combined for a stellar 141-run opening partnership. Azam, considerably slower in terms of strike rate throughout the match and the tournament, caught much slack on social media and in the commentary box.

His far-from-ideal tournament took a humiliating turn, as Steve Smith, batting on 58(28), denied a single to retain strike while calling for the Power Surge. Babar Azam walked away from Smith’s call, visibly unhappy.

Smith justified his call by scoring a BBL record 32 runs in the first over of the Power Surge. This included four consecutive sixes and a four (off a no-ball) off the first five deliveries of the over. Azam took strike with much to prove in the very next over.

However, his frustration grew further as the ball caught the inside edge of his bat to ricochet back onto his stumps. Azam walked back, slamming his bat on the advertisement boundary cushions in evident frustration.

Smith went on to score a fiery 100 in the win off just 41 balls, continuing his brilliant run of form in the tournament.

As of Sunday, Azam has scored 202 runs for the Sixers in ten innings at an average of 25.25. His strike rate of 104 is the third-lowest amongst all players who batted at least 100 balls. Above him on the list is fellow Pakistani veteran Mohammad Rizwan.

The Sixers qualified for the BBL Qualifier with a win against the Brisbane Heat.