'Not sure he was too happy' - Smith on denying Babar a single in BBL

Tensions emerged between Steven Smith and Babar Azam during their century partnership for Sydney Sixers against Sydney Thunder at the SCG on Friday night when Smith stopped Babar from running a single so that he could face the first over of the power surge.

After playing three dot balls against Chris Green in the 11th over, Babar pushed the final delivery to long-on, but Smith told him to stay put and indicated he wanted to take the surge - the two overs of powerplay restrictions which can be used after the tenth over in the BBL. With Smith denying the single, Babar was 47 off 38 balls after 11 overs, and Smith on 58 off 28.

Babar appeared far from impressed by Smith's decision when the pair briefly met mid-pitch between overs. In the 12th over, Smith then took 32 runs, including four consecutive sixes, off the first over of the surge against Ryan Hadley - the most expensive over in BBL history.

Smith was then reluctant to run a second on the final ball of the 12th over, but eventually did. That meant Babar had the strike against Nathan McAndrew for the start of the 13th over. But Babar edged an attempted heave across the line onto his stumps first ball, and was clearly angered as he walked off, striking the boundary marker with his bat.

Smith, whose century came off 41 balls - he was dismissed for 100 next delivery - declined to speak to the press after the match, but briefly addressed the tactics behind his move in the post-match presentation.

"We spoke at the ten-over mark, and they [the captain and coach] said take the surge straightaway," Smith told Channel 7. "I was like, 'Nah, give it one over. I want to hit to the short boundary. I don't want to screw up the first over. I'll try to get 30 off that over'. [I] think we got 32, so it was a good result. Not sure Babar was too happy with me knocking back that single."

"They've said no run to that."

Steve Smith knocked a run back off the bat of Babar Azam, so he could have the strike for the Power Surge! #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/BaZET2UF2t

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 16, 2026

On Fox Cricket, Mark Waugh said Babar's reaction after his dismissal was poor: "Not a good look, that. Whatever you're feeling, don't show that."

Babar was not seen on the outfield after the match as the players mingled, although it could not immediately be confirmed if he did eventually make an appearance.

Mitchell Starc, who played his first BBL game in 11 years, was unaware of the discussions that took place, but said match-ups that batters preferred were commonplace in T20 cricket.

"I didn't actually see it," he said. "I kind of heard something from someone else just before, but I haven't seen it. So [I] might have to go and have a look, and make an opinion from there. I mean it's part of T20 cricket if you see a match-up you like [that]. Clearly he [Smith] did, and took it for 34 [32] or something like that.

"That's what we want in the surge. We've kind of seen it with teams retiring batters as well - you see a match-up that might be better or whatever it may be. So, yes, Smithy must have liked that match-up, and took him on."

Sixers have a short turnaround ahead of their final regular-season fixture against Brisbane Heat at the Gabba on Sunday, which is effectively a final, with the winner progressing and the loser being knocked out. But Starc was confident there wouldn't be any issue that needed resolving.

"[They are] two guys that have played a lot of international cricket, two guys that love performing, and that was one of our best partnerships up the top," he said. "Hopefully, that continues over the next 48 hours on a wicket that seems to be pretty good for batting."

Overall, this season, Babar has made 201 runs at an average of 28.71 and a strike-rate of 107.48. The events on Friday followed Mohammad Rizwan being retired out for Melbourne Renegades, also against Thunder, earlier in the week when he was on 26 off 23 balls. Captain Will Sutherland signalled Rizwan off from the boundary edge, and replaced him at the crease, although was was run out backing up for 1.