Steve Smith Discusses Tense Moment with Babar Azam During BBL Match
A Record-Breaking Chase at SCG
In a thrilling Big Bash League match on Friday at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australian cricket star Steve Smith opened up about a tense strategic disagreement with his Sydney Sixers teammate Babar Azam while chasing a record victory against Sydney Thunder. The duo formed an impressive opening partnership of 141 runs, but a pivotal moment arose in the 11th over when former Pakistani captain Babar appeared visibly frustrated. After facing three consecutive dot balls from spinner Chris Green, Babar played the last ball gently towards long-on, which seemed like an easy run.
Strategic Decision to Retain Strike
However, Smith, who was at the non-striker's end, firmly sent him back, opting not to take the run to keep the strike for the next over. This decision was tactical, as Smith aimed to capitalize on the 'power surge'—a two-over period in the BBL when only two fielders are allowed outside the inner circle—specifically targeting the shorter boundary. This strategy paid off brilliantly. In the following over, Smith unleashed a barrage against Ryan Hadley, scoring 32 runs off four sixes and a four, marking the most expensive over in BBL history. Nevertheless, Babar was not pleased to see Smith downplaying his batting skills.
Post-Match Reflections
After the match, Smith discussed this risky decision with Channel 7. He explained that after ten overs, they had a conversation where the captain and coach advised him to play aggressively. Smith responded, 'No, let’s skip an over. I want to target the shorter boundary. I don’t want to waste the first over. I’ll aim to score 30 runs in that over.' Ultimately, they managed to score 32 runs, which he considered a successful outcome.
While this strategy proved effective and reflected positively on the scoreboard, Smith acknowledged that his world-class teammate was not immediately on board with the plan. With a smile, he remarked, 'I don’t think Babar was happy about not taking that single.' Babar's frustration became evident in the 13th over when, after returning to strike, Nathan McAndrew dismissed him on the very first ball. The ball hit his stumps, and he ended up scoring 47 runs. As he exited the field, the Pakistani star's anger boiled over, and he was seen striking the boundary cushion with his bat in disappointment.