Babar and Talat star as Peshawar beat Lahore
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Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Big Bash coup as Pakistan superstar Babar Azam agrees to maiden tournament in Australia
Babar Azam will join the Sydney Sixers this summer as one of the biggest signings in Big Bash League history. Generally regarded among the greatest batters of modern times, the Pakistani right-hander will be available for the entirety of his first BBL summer. Azam has signed with the Sixers under BBL rules that permit each side to sign one international player before the overseas draft is held on June 19. The 30-year-old joins the likes of Chris Gayle and Faf du Plessis in the pantheon of great international batters to have taken part in the BBL. 'We are absolutely delighted to welcome Babar to the Sixers this summer,' said Sixers general manager Rachael Haynes.'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.' Azam's inclusion comes after his standing in the Pakistani white-ball set-up has waned in recent times, with the veteran dropped from the T20I team last year and yet to regain his place. Still, no one has scored more Twenty20 International half-centuries than Azam's 39, and he has also played more T20Is for Pakistan -128 - than any other man. Azam remains the fastest man to reach 5000 one-day international runs, achieving the feat in 97 innings, and was the fastest to 2500 T20I runs in 62 knocks. He captained Pakistan in all three formats between 2019 and 2024, notably leading the side to the 2022 T20 World Cup final. Azam is also a mainstay of the international white-ball circuit with stints in Pakistan, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom. 'I'm very proud to be joining the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming season,' Azam said.'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.' His signing comes after fellow Pakistan superstar Shaheen Afridi confirmed this week he would nominate for the BBL draft.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- BBC News
Pakistan's Babar signs for Sixers in Big Bash
Pakistan batter Babar Azam will play in the Big Bash for the first time after he was signed by Sydney Sixers before next week's player former national captain, the second-highest run scorer in the history of T20 internationals, will be available for the entirety of the 2025-26 30, has played 320 T20 matches in a number of competitions around the world, and most recently was the top run-scorer for Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super he was not selected for Pakistan's recent T20 series against Bangladesh."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," said Babar. Sixers finished second in the 2024-25 season, but suffered successive defeats in the play-offs, losing to Hobart Hurricanes before being knocked out by rivals Sydney franchise is allowed to contract one overseas player prior to Thursday's were the only men's side not to have signed their overseas player, with England's Jamie Overton, Chris Jordan, Tom Curran and Sam Billings all contracted to other duo Jacob Bethell and Ollie Pope, who both played in the competition for the first time last season, are among the players entered in the could both be retained by their previous franchises, Melbourne Renegades or Adelaide Strikers respectively, with each team allowed to retain one further player in the Jones, Alice Capsey, Dani Gibson, Heather Knight, Sophie Ecclestone and Danni Wyatt-Hodge could all be retained in the women's competition, where no English players have been Sam Curran and Lauren Bell and Pakistan trio Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan are among the new names to be available in the draft. Pre-signed overseas players for BBL and WBBL BBL: Jamie Overton (Eng, Adelaide Strikers), Colin Munro (NZ, Brisbane Heat), Chris Jordan (Eng, Hobart Hurricanes), Tim Seifert (NZ, Melbourne Renegades), Tom Curran (Eng, Melbourne Stars), Finn Allen (NZ, Perth Scorchers), Babar Azam (Pak, Sydney Sixers), Sam Billings (Eng, Sydney Thunder)WBBL: Laura Wolvaardt (SA, Adelaide Strikers), Nadine de Klerk (SA, Brisbane Heat), Hayley Matthews (WI, Melbourne Renegades), Marizanne Kapp (SA, Melbourne Stars), Sophie Devine (NZ, Perth Scorchers), Amelia Kerr (NZ, Sydney Sixers), Chamari Athapaththu (Sri, Sydney Thunder) All players must be available for entire BBL/WBBL season. Hobart Hurricanes have not pre-signed an overseas player for the WBBL.
The Independent
09-06-2025
- The Independent
Luke Wood takes England return in his stride after ‘weird' PSL experience
Nerves were never likely to be an issue on Luke Wood's England comeback, with the left-armer returning to the fold just a month after he was caught up in the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan. Wood was playing for Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League when political tensions between the two nations developed into military clashes over the disputed Kasmir region, forcing both the PSL and Indian Premier League to be suspended. Overseas players left the country as concerns grew, but the Lancashire seamer was among those who returned to finish the tournament after a short hiatus, playing two more games in Rawalpindi. With that experience in his recent past, the 29-year-old was unlikely to be fazed by his return to the international stage after 21 months. He made the perfect start in Sunday's series-clinching T20 win over the West Indies, pinning Evin Lewis lbw with his very first ball, and was later named player of the match after taking two for 25 in a contest dominated by the bat. 'It was a weird dynamic to be in. You don't know what to believe and we get told to wait for the facts from certain people,' he said of his interrupted stay at the PSL. 'When we left it was the right time to go, but credit to them for making it a safe place for people to come back to. 'I understand the lads with young families might not have wanted to go back for certain reasons, but, for me personally, once I was told it was fine I was happy to go back and credit to them for getting it on. 'As players we're there to play cricket. If it's not safe we go, if it is safe we play. It hasn't put me off at all, it's part and parcel of the world. Pakistan and India have disagreements over that piece of land. 'This time it extended a bit too far for what we would like, but it's nothing you can control. The security they have in Pakistan is amazing and they looked after us really well. That's all you can ask for.' Wood was described as a 'point of difference' by captain Harry Brook, with his left-arm angle and ability to bowl fast, swinging yorkers making him a potent threat with the new ball. He has a happy knack of striking with the opening delivery of the innings too, Lewis' dismissal following in the footsteps of Tim Seifert and Ben McDermott at the PSL. 'It's a method I've got, I pride myself on starting well,' he said. 'That is a big thing for me and it's big for the team, to set the tone well. That's what my main role is. Warm-up wise, before a game, I do everything I can to be really ready for that first ball. it's not a loosener, it's full on. 'A lot of my strength is up front, a lot of the stuff I bowl in my warm-up is focused around that first ball. 'But I don't want to be pigeon-holed as someone who just bowls at the start, I've always said that, and I'll work on what I need to work on to become just as well renowned at the death too.' The West Indies tour concludes with Tuesday's third T20 in Southampton, when England will be hoping to wrap up a second series sweep in a row under Brook's captaincy.
