Australian Legend Urges Babar Azam to Improve His Game

Sydney Sixers opener Babar Azam played a calm, match-winning hand against the Melbourne Renegades, but Australian great Adam Gilchrist believes the Pakistan star needs to add more urgency to his T20 batting.

Chasing 165 at Docklands Stadium, the Sixers cruised to a six-wicket win thanks largely to Babar’s unbeaten 58 off 46 balls, an innings laced with four fours and one six. He reached his fifty from 41 deliveries and finished with a strike rate of 126.09, guiding the chase with five balls remaining. The knock was Babar’s 97th fifty in T20 cricket.

While acknowledging the value of the innings, Gilchrist, commenting on the broadcast, argued that the right-hander should look to push the tempo more often in the shortest format.

Gilchrist pointed out that Babar is not a typical power-hitter who looks to slog sixes, but said that made it even more important for him to be proactive rather than simply cruising at a run-a-ball and leaving the heavier scoring to his partner. In his view, that approach can shift unnecessary pressure onto the other batter at the crease.

The innings came after a subdued start to Babar’s Big Bash League campaign, with just 71 runs in his first four outings for the Sixers. He is skipping Pakistan’s T20I series against Sri Lanka to complete his BBL stint, putting extra scrutiny on his performances in Australia.

With the ball, Sean Abbott was the standout, taking 3 for 16 in four overs to earn Player of the Match honors. Speaking after the game, the Australian seamer underlined just how difficult Babar is to bowl to, even when he isn’t scoring at explosive speeds.

The victory lifted the Sixers to fifth place on the BBL points table, with two wins and three losses giving them four points. Captain Moises Henriques and his team now turn their attention to their next assignment, a clash with the Brisbane Heat at Coffs Harbor’s International Sports Stadium on Monday, January 5.