Babar Azam bags shameful duck, gets ‘Babar-Azamed’ in BBL Qualifier as Sydney Sixers career ends

Cooper Connolly struck a crucial lead for the Perth Scorchers by removing Sydney Sixers opener Babar Azam for a duck in the ongoing Big Bash League 2025-26 qualifiers at Optus Stadium in Perth on Tuesday 20 January.

Cooper Connolly strikes early while Babar Azam falls in love with a duck

Babar Azam has been reliable in the 2025-26 BBL qualifiers despite his inconsistent performances, but has failed to live up to expectations. The former Pakistan captain could only survive one delivery before deceiving himself in the second delivery to chase down the Sydney Sixers in Perth.

Read also: BBL horror! A fire broke out near Optus Stadium during the Big Bash League qualifiers featuring Babar Azam and Steve Smith

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Connolly delivered a full ball which he bowled outside off stump. Babar stepped forward to play a shot, but the ball went wide after being bowled. The right-handed batsman missed the ball completely, and wicket-keeper Josh Inglis, who did the job of holding the light behind the wicket, did the rest of the job.

Josh Inglis stuns Babar Azam with lightning speed with a sharp catch in Perth

As soon as the ball went through the bat, Inglis collected it cleanly and brought down the bails within seconds. At that moment, Babar’s front foot was still slightly in the air and did not return to the crease again. It was very close, only by a small margin, but Inglis was quicker and was sure Babar would be out.

The umpires checked all the angles, and Babar was left baffled as the Pakistan star returned to the pavilion after bowling two balls in the 2025-26 BBL qualifier against Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium in Perth. In the end, the Sixers were thrashed by 48 points in the playoffs as the Perth Scorchers reached the finals.

It’s a duck for Babar Azam 😳

Huge call from the third official. #bubble15 pic.twitter.com/mvSDF5ITGJ

– KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 20, 2026

Here’s how fans reacted to Babar’s failed show:

Mujhe un logo se milna jo Bolte the Babar Azam Pakistan ka Virat Kohli hai 🤣🤣🙏🏻🤣 pic.twitter.com/bnM5fxk2sl

– Raja Babu (@GaurangBhardwa1) January 20, 2026

Get to know Babar Azzam:

– Came to play bbl
-Got belt tackled by Smith
– He was given belt treatment by the Pakistani media
– She got the belt treatment by all the cricket fans
– He chokes on every match pic.twitter.com/I8ASXEGlk8

– Vivek (@Hailkohli18) January 20, 2026

Babar Azam goes for another duck in BBL qualifiers🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/cS3KanpUGS

– Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) January 20, 2026

🚨🚨 0 runs off two balls for Zimbabwe’s E Azam in the BBL qualifiers.

Zimbo can’t even record a single song, my stomach hurts now from laughing too much. Every day is an insult to Babar Azampic.twitter.com/F9kycZbg1C

– Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) January 20, 2026

Babar Azam has become a very big fraud in T20s nowadays. The Sydney Sixers and the BBL have been defrauded. This BBL has been a complete failure. He was showing a lot of arrogance when Smith denied him the marriage. Babar must realize that T20 is not his cup of tea. retirementpic.twitter.com/g04zFpj6Wz

– Aryan Goel (@Aryan42832Goel) January 20, 2026

– Steve Smith denied Babar Azam one goal in one match

– Next match: Babar scored only one run
– Next match: one ball match only

Babar Azam takes revenge. 😂

pic.twitter.com/Uv0xpwFsDm

– Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952) January 20, 2026

Babar Azzam is gone 0(1) 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/BNf1RQ8adW

– Vivek (@Hailkohli18) January 20, 2026

“Can you believe it? Babar Azam has gone to zero! 🦆

The third official had to make a big decision about that, but he walked on.”🫣#bubble15 #bubble #BabarAzzam #Pakistan #sydneysixers pic.twitter.com/IaWrQJzQVu

– Reality sucks (@gowthamshitty) January 20, 2026

The Australian government has announced that a ticket will be required to watch ‘Babar Azam’ (THE MEME) after the BBL ends. #bubble15 #BabarAzzam𓃵 pic.twitter.com/yDBLn1EKBd

– Cricket Panchayat (@CrickPanchayat) January 20, 2026

In the Big Bash, Babar Azam was out of nowhere again today. Given his current form, should he be included in Pakistan’s World Cup squad?#BabarAzzam𓃵 #sydneysixers #bubble15 pic.twitter.com/9yCMNEOLq0

– Cricket Da Bawa (@sportszone78) January 20, 2026

If Babar Azam can’t score goals, why didn’t the Sydney Sixers drop him?

Sydney Sixers and BBL- pic.twitter.com/D5bg1s2fxm

– TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) January 20, 2026

Babar Azam’s BBL dream is turning sour

Meanwhile, Babar Azam’s first Big Bash League season has turned into a major setback, and not for the reasons the Sydney Sixers were hoping to remember. He arrives at the 2025-26 BBL as a pre-draft platinum signing, making him one of the highest-paid players in the tournament’s history.

ALSO READ: Finn Allen’s trace bullet brutally hits Aaron Hardy as Kiwi batsman makes BBL history with six strikes

Expectations were very high, and fans believed Babar would dominate Australian conditions, anchor big chases, and bring star power to the Sixers’ lineup. However, the reality was very different. In his debut campaign, the Pakistani star struggled hard to make an impact.

Across 11 innings, the former Pakistan captain has managed just 202 runs for the Sydney Sixers, and these numbers look disappointing for a player of his reputation and price. Babar struggled to score, especially on the power play, and failed to convert starts into powerful hits. Several times, the Sixers lost momentum when they needed their marquee signing to step up.