Steve Smith had denied Babar Azam a single before unleashing a record-breaking over and scoring a rapid century, leaving the Pakistan star visibly frustrated.
Steve Smith and Babar Azam found themselves at the centre of a dramatic and at times uncomfortable contest as Sydney Sixers defeated Sydney Thunder by five wickets in the ongoing Big Bash League at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The first flashpoint came during Thunder’s innings, when the duo were involved in a costly fielding mix-up in the deep. In the 16th over, Nic Maddinson drove Ben Manenti straight down the ground, with Smith charging in from long-off and Babar stationed closer at long-on.
Smith slowed his run, seemingly expecting Babar to take charge, but the Pakistan batter hesitated. The ball slipped through untouched and ran to the boundary, leaving Smith visibly puzzled by the lack of communication.
The confusion nearly repeated itself on the very next delivery. Maddinson again targeted the same area, prompting Smith to dive and stop the ball. As Smith got up to throw, Babar moved towards him as if to intervene, then abruptly pulled away, further highlighting the uncertainty between the two fielders.
Babar Left Frustrated As Smith Takes Charge
While the fielding moments raised eyebrows, it was Smith’s batting that ultimately decided the match. During the Sixers’ chase, a brief moment of tension surfaced in the 11th over. After Babar had faced several dot balls, Smith refused a single off the final delivery to keep the strike.
Smith immediately opted for the Power Surge, a phase in which only two fielders are allowed outside the circle. Babar appeared surprised by the decision, but Smith’s plan became clear within minutes. Facing Ryan Hadley, the Australian captain hammered four successive sixes and plundered 32 runs from the over, the highest ever scored in a single over in BBL history.
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The situation worsened for Babar shortly after. On the first ball of the 13th over, bowled by Nathan McAndrew, he was clean bowled for 47. Visibly upset, Babar reacted angrily, striking the boundary ropes as he made his way back to the pavilion.
Smith, meanwhile, showed no signs of slowing down. Riding on the momentum, he raced to a stunning century off just 41 balls. His explosive knock guided Sydney Sixers to a comfortable five-wicket victory and capped a match that blended record-breaking brilliance with moments of awkward miscommunication.
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