Aaron Finch hails Babar Azam as 'greatest player of the decade" after BBL 15 signing

Former Australian captain Aaron Finch has heaped praise on Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam following his signing with the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season 15.

In a recent interview, Finch highlighted Babar’s stature in world cricket and his importance to the tournament.

“There’s no bigger name than Babar Azam among Pakistani players in the BBL draft,” said Finch.

“He is the biggest name among all Pakistani cricketers. Babar is currently the best player in world cricket and arguably the greatest player of this decade. He has delivered top performances around the world, and it’s great for Australian fans to witness a superstar like him play in Australia,” he added.

The former opening batter also lauded Pakistan’s premier pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is also part of the BBL draft.

“Shaheen Shah Afridi is a match-winner and a top performer. Every team would want to have him. I’m excited to see top players competing in the Big Bash,” Finch remarked.

It is pertinent to mention that the Sydney Sixers officially announced Babar’s signing on Friday, marking one of the most high-profile acquisitions in BBL history.

Under BBL regulations, each franchise is permitted to pre-sign one international player ahead of the official BBL 15 Draft, scheduled for Thursday, June 19. 

The Sixers used this opportunity to secure the services of the Pakistan batting maestro.

Babar, a pivotal figure in Pakistan’s national setup for over a decade, captained the team across all formats between 2019 and 2024. 

During his tenure, Pakistan reached the semi-finals of the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup and finished as runners-up in the 2022 edition.

This will be Babar’s first-ever appearance in the BBL. According to sources, he was picked in the Platinum category and signed via a pre-draft deal with a salary exceeding the standard base price.

While the base price for Platinum players stands at approximately PKR 7.75 crore, Babar’s deal is reportedly worth close to PKR 10 crore, making him one of the highest-paid signings in BBL history.