Pakistani veteran batter Babar Azam made his Big Bash League debut for the Sydney Sixers in the ongoing BBL season for 2025-26. In four matches, the veteran batter has 71 runs, with the majority of the runs coming in his third innings against the Sydney Thunder.
The Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars faced each other in the 11th match of the ongoing Big Bash League. The Sixers had already played three matches in the tournament, while the Stars had played just two games in the tournament.
The Sixers had managed to win just one game out of the three matches they had played, while the Melbourne Stars, on the other hand, have maintained an undefeated streak in the Big Bash. For the Sydney Sixers, batting has been their weakest flaw.
Babar Azam was dismissed for a single-digit score for the third time in the BBL
Pakistan veteran Babar Azam finally got the NOC from the PCB for playing in the Big Bash League. Babar Azam would have desired to make a comeback in the shortest format of the game, and the BBL is his opportunity to relive his prime.
The highest T20I run-getter coming into the BBL had much anticipation building around him; however, Babar Azam struggled with sheer form. Tom Curran bowled the second over in the match, as he constantly beat the outside edge of the Pakistan batter.
The ball swung sharply, and his outside edge was constantly threatened by the English pacer. Finally, the fifth ball of the over was edged back to Glenn Maxwell at first slip, and Azam was dismissed for just 2 runs in his fourth innings.
Babar started the tournament off with two back-to-back single-digit scores and then managed a half-century in the third game of the BBL. He has managed to score just 71 runs with a strike rate going down to 110.
Babar Azam is OUT!
Here’s how Tom Curran knocked over the Pakistan international 👏 #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/leMz9bNwLV
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 26, 2025
Sean Abbott made his BBL return after recovery
Legendary Sydney Sixers pacer Sean Abbott played for the team throughout his BBL career and is the highest wicket-taker in the history of the tournament. The pacer was ruled out of the initial games owing to the injury suffered during his stay with New South Wales.
Abbott also missed out on a chance to feature in the Ashes for the Australian side; however, he made a comeback into the Australian domestic T20 tournament with the Sixers in their fifth game.
Abbott not only made a comeback but also picked a wicket in the very first over of the innings and dismissed the Melbourne Stars opener. Despite the Stars’ loss, he finished with a decent 1-30 in his three and a half overs.
Sam Harper’s unbeaten century helps Melbourne Stars extend undefeated streak
Chasing a minor total of 145, the Melbourne Stars had all the time in the world. Despite opener Joe Clarke’s early dismissal, his fellow opener Sam Harper joined hands with Campbell Kellaway and Jonathan Merlo to chase the total with 7 wickets in hand.
Harper scored a century in the innings, as he finished for 110* off just 60 balls, with 12 fours and 6 sixes in the innings. Harper struck at 183.33 and also remained unbeaten to carefully guide them home towards the target.
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