Babar had arrived in the BBL amid high expectations, seen as a chance to rediscover form ahead of the T20 World Cup. Instead, the tournament has so far painted a grim picture. After opening his campaign with a dismissal for 2 against the Perth Scorchers last Sunday, the pressure only mounted when he returned to action against the Adelaide Strikers at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

His stay was cut short early, as Luke Wood struck with the second ball of the third over, forcing an error that saw Babar caught by Matthew Short. With another low score added to his tally, concerns around his form continue to grow. Wood, who got the better of him, was picked up in the IPL Auction on Tuesday by the Gujarat Titans. The right-arm English paceman was signed by the 2022 champions for INR 75 Lakh.

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Sydney Sixers post 159/9 despite Babar’s flops show

Meanwhile, Sydney Sixers posted a fighting 159 for 9 in their 20 overs after being asked to bat at the SCG, but the innings never quite found full momentum. The home side suffered early blows, with Babar’s tough run continuing as he fell for 9, followed soon after by Daniel Hughes, who managed only 11. With wickets falling regularly, the responsibility shifted to Josh Philippe, who provided the spark at the top and in the middle overs. The wicketkeeper-batter top-scored with a fluent 46 off 28 balls, mixing aggression with smart strike rotation to keep the Sixers in the contest.

Captain Moises Henriques chipped in with a handy 20, while Jack Edwards played a crucial role later in the innings, scoring 32 and ensuring the total did not slip below par. However, the Sixers struggled to build sustained partnerships, and Adelaide Strikers’ bowlers applied consistent pressure through the middle and death overs. Late-order contributions were modest, but enough to push the score close to 160, setting up a competitive chase on a decent batting surface.