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MELBOURNE: Pakistan star Babar Azam produced a composed unbeaten half-century to lead Sydney Sixers to a six-wicket victory over Melbourne Renegades in a Big Bash League (BBL) season 15 encounter at Docklands Stadium on Thursday.
In a much-anticipated Babar Azam versus Mohammad Rizwan contest, the Sixers opted to field first after winning the toss.
Renegades lost early momentum when Jack Edwards dismissed Tim Seifert for eight, leaving the hosts 10 for 1 inside the first two overs.
Rizwan then partnered with Josh Brown in a brief counter-attack, though the second-wicket stand was largely driven by Brown’s aggressive approach.
The right-hander smashed 43 off just 19 balls, including three fours and four sixes, before Hayden Kerr broke the 44-run partnership. Rizwan struggled for fluency and was dismissed soon after, scoring six from ten deliveries.
Jake Fraser-McGurk steadied the innings with a 29-ball 38, featuring four boundaries, before falling to Sean Abbott after pushing the Renegades past the 100-run mark.
Hassan Khan provided late resistance with a quick 39, hitting three sixes and a four, but his dismissal in the final over curtailed the Renegades’ momentum as they finished on 164 for 9.
Abbott was the pick of the Sixers’ bowlers with three wickets, while Edwards, Ben Dwarshuis and Kerr claimed two apiece.
In reply, the Sixers made a solid start through Daniel Hughes and Babar, adding 46 for the opening wicket.
Gurinder Sandhu removed Hughes for 30 off 23 balls, but Babar anchored the chase calmly. Josh Philippe chipped in with 16, while captain Moises Henriques added a brisk 23 to keep the innings on track.
After the fall of the fourth wicket, Babar Azam found a reliable partner in Joel Davies. The duo stitched together an unbeaten 51-run stand to take the Sixers home in 19.1 overs.
Babar finished on 58 not out from 46 balls, striking four fours and a six, while Davies sealed the chase with an unbeaten 34 off 15, including three fours and two sixes.
For Renegades, Sandhu picked up two wickets, while Will Sutherland and Matthew Spoors claimed one each.
The win marked Sydney Sixers’ second victory of the season, lifting them to fifth on the BBL points table. Melbourne Renegades, meanwhile, remain seventh with just one win, sitting above only Sydney Thunder.
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