📌 Meta Title
Babar Azam Out for Duck in BBL 15 Qualifier | Sydney Sixers vs Perth Scorchers
📌 Meta Description
Pakistan star Babar Azam suffers a second-ball duck in the BBL 15 qualifier against Perth Scorchers. Full match report, stats, and key moments.
🎯 Focus Keyword
Babar Azam BBL 15
🔑 Secondary Keywords
- Babar Azam duck
- BBL 15 qualifier
- Sydney Sixers vs Perth Scorchers
- Babar Azam Big Bash League
- Optus Stadium match
- Josh Starc wickets
🏏 Babar Azam’s Struggles Continue in BBL 15
The right-hander, who was playing his debut BBL season, failed to get off the mark as he was dismissed early while chasing a modest target.
❌ Early Blow for Sydney Sixers in the Run Chase
Chasing 148 runs, Sydney Sixers suffered an immediate setback in the very first over of the innings.
How Babar Got Out:
- Over: 1st over
- Delivery: Second ball
- Bowler: Cooper Connolly
- Dismissal: Stumped
- Wicketkeeper: Josh Inglis
Babar advanced down the track but missed the ball completely, allowing Inglis to complete a sharp stumping and send the Pakistani batter back to the pavilion without scoring.
📉 Babar Azam’s BBL 15 Performance So Far
Despite high expectations, Babar Azam has found consistency hard to come by in his first BBL campaign.
Babar Azam – BBL 15 Stats:
- 🏏 Matches: 11
- 📊 Runs: 202
- 📈 Average: 22.44
- ⚡ Strike Rate: 103.06
- 🔥 Fifties: 2
While flashes of class were visible in a couple of innings, overall returns have been below par for a player of his calibre.
🧨 Perth Scorchers’ Innings: Starc Leads the Fightback
Earlier in the match, Perth Scorchers posted 147 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs after losing early wickets.
Key Moments:
- Mitchell Marsh was dismissed for just 5 runs in the opening over
- Josh Starc struck early to put pressure on the Scorchers
🔗 Crucial Partnership Builds the Innings
Following early setbacks, Finn Allen and Aaron Hardie steadied the innings with a valuable partnership.
- The duo guided the team past the 50-run mark
- Allen looked dangerous before his dismissal
Finn Allen’s Knock:
- Runs: 49
- Balls: 30
- Fours: 2
- Sixes: 4
His innings came to an end when Starc struck again, removing him just one run short of a half-century.
⚠ Middle-Order Collapse Hurts Scorchers
After Allen’s dismissal, Perth Scorchers struggled to maintain momentum.
- Josh Inglis: 2 runs (out to Joel Davies)
- Cooper Connolly: 8 runs (out to Ben Manenti)
Captain Ashton Turner attempted to revive the innings with a fighting knock.
Ashton Turner:
- Runs: 29
- Balls: 21
- Fours: 3
- Sixes: 2
However, he could not accelerate enough towards the end.
🔻 Lower Order Fails to Capitalise
In the lower order:
- Jhye Richardson scored 20 off 18 balls, hitting one four and one six
- Remaining batters failed to make a significant impact
The Scorchers were restricted to a below-par total considering the conditions.
🎯 Sixers’ Bowling Effort Shines
Sydney Sixers delivered a disciplined bowling performance.
Wicket Takers:
- Josh Starc – 2 wickets
- Jack Edwards – 2 wickets
- Ben Dwarshuis – 2 wickets
- Joel Davies – 1 wicket
- Ben Manenti – 1 wicket
Starc’s early breakthroughs proved crucial in limiting the Scorchers.
🧐 Pressure Mounts on Babar Azam
Babar Azam’s early dismissal has once again sparked debate among fans and analysts regarding his form in the shortest format. With the tournament reaching its business end, expectations remain high for the Pakistan skipper to deliver impactful performances.
🏁 Conclusion
The BBL 15 qualifier delivered plenty of drama, with Babar Azam’s duck becoming one of the talking points of the match. While Perth Scorchers managed to post a competitive total, the spotlight remained firmly on Babar’s struggles in his debut Big Bash campaign.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on whether the star batter can bounce back and silence critics with a match-winning performance.