Sydney Sixers star batsman Babar Azam started 2026 in style as he led his team to a six-wicket win over Melbourne Renegades in the 18th match of the Big Bash League at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne. Babar’s unbeaten 58 off 46 balls powered the Sixers to 168 for four, chasing down a target of 165 with five balls to spare.
He reached his half-century in just 41 deliveries and displayed his trademark elegance and composure under pressure. The highlight of his innings came when he smashed Andrew Tye to the winning boundary to seal the win for the Sixers.
It was Babar’s second BBL fifty, following his earlier knock against the Sydney Thunder at the Sydney Showground. He continued his strong form with the innings, amassing 129 runs from five games at an average of 32.25 and a strike rate of 117.27.
In contrast, Mohammad Rizwan endured another disappointing outing, scoring just six runs off 10 balls before being dismissed by Ben Dwarshuis. Rizwan’s struggles in the BBL continue, with just 58 runs from four matches at an average of 14.50 and a strike of 100. Both Babar and Rizwan are currently unavailable for Pakistan’s upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka due to their BBL commitments.
Renegades posted a competitive 164/9 with Josh Brown top-scoring with 43 off 19 balls. Sean Abbott starred for the Sixers, taking three goals and two catches to earn Man of the Match honors.
Babar’s knock not only set the tone for the Sixers’ New Year celebrations but also underlined the contrasting fortunes of the two Pakistani stars. While Babar is thriving in the BBL limelight, Rizwan will be hoping for a turnaround in the coming matches.
With Babar leading from the front, the Sixers look well set for a strong campaign in the Big Bash League this season.
A brief score
Melbourne Renegades: 164/9 in 20 overs. Josh Brown (43), Jake Fraser-McGurk (38), Hassan Khan (39); Sean Abbott (3/16), Ben Dwarshuis (2/47)
Sydney Sixers: 168/4 in 19.1 overs. Babar Azam (58*), Joel Davies (34*), Daniel Hughes (30); Gurinder Sandhu (2/23), Will Sutherland (1/27)
Result: Sixers win by 6 wickets (with 5 balls to spare)
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
January 1, 2026
