Babar Azam Threw 'Stunning Tantrum' After Steve Smith Snub, Told Teammates He...

Pakistan international Babar Azam reportedly isolated himself in the Sydney Sixers dressing room after feeling ‘disrespected’ by teammate Steve Smith, denying him the strike during Friday’s Big Bash League (BBL) clash against the Sydney Thunder at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The moment occurred at the end of the 11th over when Smith declined a single offered by Babar, ensuring he would retain strike for the Power Surge, a two-over phase that allows fewer fielders outside the circle. Smith then capitalised on the tactic during the Surge, scoring a BBL-record 32 runs in the 12th over.

He almost denied Babar the strike again for the 13th over, but it went with the Pakistani eventually. However, Babar got out first ball, and responded with an angry

walk back to the pavilion, where he smashed the boundary ropes with his bat.

According to CODE Sports, Azam did not join his teammates on the field for the post-match handshakes following the Sixers’ five-wicket victory. The former international captain told teammates he felt ‘disrespected’ by Smith’s refusal and remained away from the group, in what the report described as an ‘epic dummy spit’ and a ‘stunning tantrum’.

Sixers coach Greg Shipperd is said to have spoken to Azam in an attempt to defuse the situation.

The report also stated that Smith had informed Azam earlier, during the 10th over, of his intention to take strike for the opening ball of the Power Surge.

The Australian’s logic was sound. After hitting a 42-ball 100 that helped the Sixers chase 190 in under 18 overs, he explained that he wanted to target the short boundary on the leg side.

Though he didn’t say it, the fact that Babar was batting at a strike-rate of around 120 and had conceded three dot balls in the 11th over made his decision a no-brainer.

However, Babar is one of the most popular players in the world and is known as the ‘King’ in Pakistan. Despite his obvious flaws in the T20 format — an inability to manage strike in the middle order and a lack of understanding that hitting boundaries is the most important thing — he’d have never faced it back home.