How much Sydney Sixers will pay Babar Azam for BBL 15?

Former Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam has joined the list of the highest-paid players in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) after signing with the Sydney Sixers for a fee higher than the Platinum category base price.

This will be Babar’s first appearance in the BBL and the Sixers have secured his services for the upcoming season. Details of the agreement between Babar and the franchise have also emerged.

According to sources, the Sixers picked Babar in the Platinum category and offered him a pre-signing deal with a salary exceeding the base price. 

The base price for Platinum category players is around PKR 7.75 crore, but sources claim Babar’s deal is worth nearly PKR 10 crore, making him one of the highest-paid signings in BBL.

With over 10,000 international runs across formats, the 30-year-old has firmly established himself as one of the game’s most prolific and consistent performers.

As per BBL regulations, each team is permitted to pre-sign one overseas player ahead of the official BBL 15 draft, scheduled for Thursday, June 19.

A mainstay in Pakistan’s national team for more than a decade, Babar captained the side from 2019 to 2024 in all three formats, leading Pakistan to the semi-final of the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup and the final of the 2022 edition.

Renowned for his calmness under pressure and technical finesse, the right-handed batter has consistently ranked among the world’s top batters in both ODIs and T20Is. 

His accolades include being named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2021 and 2022, and ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year in 2022. 

He also holds the record as the fastest player to reach 5,000 ODI runs, achieving the milestone in just 97 innings.

Babar brings extensive T20 experience, with over 11,000 runs in the format and a strong presence in major global leagues such as the Pakistan Super League, Caribbean Premier League, and various English domestic competitions.

This landmark signing will see Babar make his BBL debut, and he will be available for the entire season, including the finals, providing a significant boost to the Sixers’ championship ambitions. 

The BBL is set to kick off on December 14 this year.

Sydney Sixers squad for BBL 15 so far:

Sean Abbott, Babar Azam, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Todd Murphy, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk, Steve Smith.