Babar Azam Left Frustrated After Steve Smith refused a Single in a BBL match.
In a dramatic moment during the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 match between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder, Babar Azam was visibly frustrated after his teammate, Steve Smith, declined a single on the final ball of an over. The incident occurred on January 16, 2025, at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), and it quickly became a topic of discussion among commentators and fans alike.
In a social media video shared by the franchise, Babar can be seen expressing his disappointment as Smith refused to take a quick single in the 11th over, leaving Babar stranded at the non-striker’s end. This came after Babar had faced three consecutive dot balls and was eager to rotate the strike on the final delivery to get off the mark.
Commentators on air highlighted Babar’s reaction and speculated about the possible reasoning behind Smith’s decision. It appeared that Smith’s refusal was motivated by a desire to back himself and accelerate in the following over. Smith later proved his point emphatically, launching into a remarkable assault by hitting back-to-back sixes in the next over and adding a four off a no-ball, amassing 32 runs from just six balls. His performance shifted the momentum firmly in favor of the Sixers.
The Sixers eventually chased down the target set by the Thunder, securing a five-wicket victory. Steve Smith’s extraordinary 42-ball century, which included five fours and nine sixes, was the highlight of the chase, while Babar Azam contributed a solid 47 off 39 balls, including seven fours.
Earlier, Sydney Thunder had posted a competitive 189-6 in their allotted 20 overs, led by a brilliant unbeaten 110 off 65 balls from David Warner, which included 11 fours and four sixes.
