Sydney Sixers land Babar Azam for the entire BBL|15 season as a pre-draft signing

[Ball Blazer]

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Sydney Sixers land Pakistan icon for entire BBL|15 season as a pre-draft signing

The Sydney Sixers have once again outsmarted their rivals after unveiling one of the biggest KFC BBL recruits of recent times, Babar Azam.

The former Pakistan captain, the second highest all-time T20 International run scorer, was today revealed as the Sixers' pre-draft overseas signing. He will be available for the entire BBL15 season, including finals.

The Sixers, who have finished top two in each of the past six BBL seasons and been champions twice, will pick sixth in the first round of next week’s international player draft.

It seems certain Babar would have been snapped up before then had he been on the table.

But general manager Rachael Haynes and coach Greg Shipperd used the other clubs' list inflexibility against them.

Each team is permitted to bypass the draft and sign one overseas player. Six of the eight BBL sides were already tied to international players like Tim Seifert (Melbourne Renegades), Chris Jordan (Hobart Hurricanes) and Finn Allen (Perth Scorchers) who signed multi-season deals last year using that rule.

That left the Adelaide Strikers as the Sixers' only competition, but they announced the return of Jamie Overton as their pre-draft international signing last month.

It meant the Sixers had a free run at Babar, whose playing credentials as one of T20 cricket's leading top-order batters only form one aspect of the 30-year-old's appeal.

Babar is guaranteed to put bums on seats at the SCG and around the country for away games, such is his popularity among Australia's Pakistani diaspora.

The batter boasts close to six million Instagram followers. His new Sixers teammate, Steve Smith, is the most popular current Australian cricketer with nearly four million. The pair could this summer form a mouth-watering opening combination.

Babar's incredible reach was illustrated by a teaser video posted last night by the Sixers, who have since gained around 35,000 new followers.

Pakistan fans, alerted to their national board publishing Babar's availability for the BBL on Tuesday, had put two and two together and flooded the Sixers' social media with comments of excitement at the global superstar's signing.

"He is a world-class player and a proven leader. He's not only a huge addition to our club, but to the league as a whole," Haynes said of Babar.

"The Sixers strive to be a destination club on the global stage … and securing a player of Babar's calibre only further strengthens that vision."

Babar said: “I’m very proud to be joining the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming season.

"It’s an exciting opportunity to play in one of the world’s best T20 leagues and to be a part of such a successful and respected franchise.

"I’m looking forward to contributing to the team’s success, building a strong connection with the fans, and sharing this experience with my friends, family and supporters at home in Pakistan."

Pakistan have a gap in the ICC's Future Tours Programme from November to February, leaving their leading players as ideal candidates for Big Bash deals this summer.

Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan are among the top overseas players who will be available at the June 19 draft, to be screen from 4pm AEST on 7mate, 7plus, Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports.

Source: https://www.espn.in/cricket/story/_/id/45504203/bbl-sydney-sixers-sign-babar-azam-maiden-bbl-deal

 

[BouncerGuy]

OHO..... Babar in BBL??? UFFF

 

[Ball Blazer]

Sydney Sixers have brought in Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam as a pre-draft signing for the upcoming BBL season. Azam has a message for his fans:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1933452785003241825

@Rana you may want to see this

 

[mango_bite77]

Sydney Sixers have brought in Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam as a pre-draft signing for the upcoming BBL season. Azam has a message for his fans:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1933452785003241825

@Rana you may want to see this

Spoke well, not sure how much time it took him to remember this and practice

 

[Hyder]

Sixers cashing on babars followers. Smart move.
They should get more Pakistani and srilankan players so as to inc viewers

 

[DeadlyVenom]

This is big news for Babar. They haven't hired him to play anchor. He will have to be hustle and improve his game.

 

[TeymurBlake]

If he wants to get back in to the T20 side, then he will need to use this BBL stint to improve his game & evolve his batting.

Unfortunately right now, I doubt he will.

 

[Vikram1989]

Am not sure whether babar can improve anything in bbl.smith plays for same team and bash centuries for fun in bbl .then he struggles in t20i's.Babar’s English will improve for sure on a lighter note.

 

[Ball Blazer]

Babar Azam singing was in headline of 7news today as a breaking sports announcement

 

[Savak]

Lol any team which picks Babar in the T-20 format is clearly not interested in winning. My prediction, he will be benched eventually.

 

[hks222]

Great signing.

Looking forward to see his game in the BBL.

He has been prolific in English T20 as well previously.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Lol any team which picks Babar in the T-20 format is clearly not interested in winning. My prediction, he will be benched eventually.

I think they have taken him as an anchor. Smith clearly has evolved his natural T20 game and may not even be available for all games. So it is not as bad a move as people are making out to be.

 

[Rana]

I think they have taken him as an anchor. Smith clearly has evolved his natural T20 game and may not even be available for all games. So it is not as bad a move as people are making out to be.

Smith won’t be available for the first month or so due to the Ashes.

 

[Aami]

He'll open I think and bring it home for the chakkays ...

 

[Rana]

If he wants to get back in to the T20 side, then he will need to use this BBL stint to improve his game & evolve his batting.

Unfortunately right now, I doubt he will.

He’s going to try and play the same way that he does in BBL and try to use it as an excuse that his method belongs at the international level too.

You can tell when this guy and his mistress Rizwan are actually playing for the team or not. December will reveal all.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Smith won’t be available for the first month or so due to the Ashes.

I suspect Babar might be given the captaincy.

 

[Rana]

I suspect Babar might be given the captaincy.

You seem to be fanboying

Their captain is Henriques

Why would they just hand it over to Babar? They are not Pakistan or Peshawar Zalmi

 

[Hyder]

They just increased rheir followers on sm by 20 25 percent. They know babar has following.

 

[mominsaigol]

Babar azam and Steve smith batting side by side? Lol

 

[Rana]

Babar azam and Steve smith batting side by side? Lol

I would be very surprised if Babar opens

One will move to 3

Vince will open with Smith.

 

[gazza619]

I suspect Babar might be given the captaincy.

King should refuse.

 

[jnaveen1980]

In the name of honoring Babar Azam's entry they are going to change their franchise name from Sydney Sixers to Sydney dots

 

[gazza619]

I smell jealousy

A direct signing for Babar didnt go down your belly very well.

 

[daytrader]

Funny cause you're the one always wanting more sixers

 

[Boyka]

This guy is going to turn into a T20 domestic league jobber, sad demise.

 

[topspin]

Did Sydney Sixers buy him for marketing or cricketing reasons? If it's the latter then I guess SS have just hired Misbah to land ZimBabar.

 

[Hyder]

Did Sydney Sixers buy him for marketing or cricketing reasons? If it's the latter then I guess SS have just hired Misbah to land ZimBabar.

Marketting bit is doing them alot of good their reach has increased to million.
They posting about this signing alot.

 

[Shoaib Akhtar 100 MPH]

This is a good move for Babar, the BBL and the sixers.

Babar will enjoy the pace and bounce on offer and use his timing.

Great signing all round.

 

[adi_62941]

I think the trick to hire babar in their lineup is to earn on his name. He is well known in australia and the franchise will do good marketing on his name to earn some profits

 

[Rana]

I think the trick to hire babar in their lineup is to earn on his name. He is well known in australia and the franchise will do good marketing on his name to earn some profits

Sydney probably has a big Pakistani community too. So I get why they might think it’s good for them.

 

[shaz619]

Babar will make sure the Syndey franchise is rebranded. The Sydney DotBallers bah gawd they are here.

 

[shaz619]

Are there any good Karahi places in Sydney?

Asking for an enemy.

 

[shaz619]

Sydney probably has a big Pakistani community too. So I get why they might think it’s good for them.

If it don’t work out, am sure he could find another job there. Does Babar have any interests outside cricket

 

[shaz619]

Did Sydney Sixers buy him for marketing or cricketing reasons? If it's the latter then I guess SS have just hired Misbah to land ZimBabar.

They bought him in to squeeze the players backsides, he has plenty of experience in that department And it is a proven Aussie winning strategy that has yielded multiple World Cups

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Let's see if Babar maintains his standard in this league.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1934650127748124890

 

[mominsaigol]

Sydney probably has a big Pakistani community too. So I get why they might think it’s good for them.

Sydney doesnt just have a big community, it has the largest community.

In Australia no other city(Melbourne, Brisbane, GC, SC, Adelaide, Canberra, Wollingong, Perth etc etc) is as densely populated with Pakistani's as compared to Sydney.

Infact Sydney is the only place where universities, town, and districts have their own exclusive Pakistani community.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Sydney doesnt just have a big community, it has the largest community.

In Australia no other city(Melbourne, Brisbane, GC, SC, Adelaide, Canberra, Wollingong, Perth etc etc) is as densely populated with Pakistani's as compared to Sydney.

Infact Sydney is the only place where universities, town, and districts have their own exclusive Pakistani community.

Cricket Australia and BBL social media are hyping up Babar to the moon. Are Cricket enthusiasts there really excited for Babar?

 

[mominsaigol]

Cricket Australia and BBL social media are hyping up Babar to the moon. Are Cricket enthusiasts there really excited for Babar?

Obviously. Most cricket fans are not like us. Their mostly casual watchers.

Babar is a star attraction in cricketing countries as evidence from fan reception and Instagram.

Secondly Australia is a multicultural country. Unlike England where its still predominantly British, Their are only 1.3M indigenous Aussies remaining.

The rest 25M is a mix of chinese, British, Irish, Indians, Pakistani etc etc so Babar would obviously be more favourable to the Australian market, then he would be towards the UK market which is a bit more biased in general hence the 100 excluding him but choosing to select Imad, Shan(Yorkshire, not 100) simply because they have a background in British education.

Other then Boland, The likes of Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja aren't Australian(indigenous) by race lol, Smith is British/English while khawaja is Pakistani.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Aaron Finch speaking during an interview about Babar Azam's BBL selection:

"There's no one bigger than Babar Azam, who has pre-signed for the Big Bash.

He's one of the best players we've seen in the world for the best part of a decade now.

It'll be great for the Australian public and fans to see such a superstar in our competition and see how that matches up to the global game.

I think Pakistani players haven't had a huge opportunity to play, particularly guys who play all formats of the game.

Shaheen Shah Afridi is in the draft as well, and I have no doubt that he'd be very, very high on most teams' lists to get because he's a superstar, he's a match-winner, and it's always exciting when you see the best players in the world make themselves available for our great competition"

 

[Shoaib Akhtar 100 MPH]

Obviously. Most cricket fans are not like us. Their mostly casual watchers.

Babar is a star attraction in cricketing countries as evidence from fan reception and Instagram.

Secondly Australia is a multicultural country. Unlike England where its still predominantly British, Their are only 1.3M indigenous Aussies remaining.

The rest 25M is a mix of chinese, British, Irish, Indians, Pakistani etc etc so Babar would obviously be more favourable to the Australian market, then he would be towards the UK market which is a bit more biased in general hence the 100 excluding him but choosing to select Imad, Shan(Yorkshire, not 100) simply because they have a background in British education.

Other then Boland, The likes of Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja aren't Australian(indigenous) by race lol, Smith is British/English while khawaja is Pakistani.

Australians are made up off British criminals through the ancestors.

The aborigines are the original aussies.

like the mauri's in New zealand.

 

[mominsaigol]

Australians are made up off British criminals through the ancestors.

The aborigines are the original aussies.

like the mauri's in New zealand.

Yes and No, they only count for 22-25% of the total population. Aboriginals and straight islanders and less then 5%. The rest are all immigrants that immigrated from other countries.

 

[The_KING]

I hope Babar does well, not because I am some massive fan of his, because I am not, but because, whether we like it or not, Pakistan is the face of Pakistan cricket, and him failing in BBL won't be a good look for Pakistan cricket.

 

[Ice Man]

Australians are made up off British criminals through the ancestors.

The aborigines are the original aussies.

like the mauri's in New zealand.

Plenty of other European ancestory over here as well, mate, but yes, the Aboriginals are the traditional owners of the land.

As for Babar joining, he should be able to atleast tonk the park cricket level bowlers in the big bash league. Good publicity stunt regardless.