Former Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam has secured one of the highest salaries in Big Bash League (BBL) history after signing with the Sydney Sixers ahead of the upcoming season.
Azam’s contract is set to exceed the Platinum category base price, marking a significant achievement for the 30-year-old batter.
Sources close to the deal confirm that Azam’s salary will be nearly PKR 10 crore, making him one of the highest-paid players in the competition. The Platinum category for BBL overseas players has a base price of around PKR 7.75 crore.
This will be Babar Azam’s first appearance in the Big Bash League, and the Sixers are excited to have him on board for the 2025 season.
Azam, who has accumulated over 10,000 international runs in all formats, brings a wealth of experience to the team. His signing represents a major boost to the Sixers’ championship aspirations.
The Sixers were allowed to pre-sign one overseas player before the official BBL 15 draft on June 19. The team selected Azam from the Platinum category, offering him a lucrative contract ahead of the draft, which positions him among the elite players of the competition.
Babar Azam’s career has been defined by consistency and success.
He captained Pakistan’s national team from 2019 to 2024 and led them to the semi-finals of the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup and the final of the 2022 edition. Renowned for his calmness under pressure, Azam is considered one of the finest T20 and ODI batsmen in the world.
He has been ranked among the top players in both formats for several years and has been awarded ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year in 2022, in addition to being named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2021 and 2022.
With more than 11,000 T20 runs, Babar Azam is no stranger to global leagues, having played in the Pakistan Super League, the Caribbean Premier League, and various English domestic competitions.
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.
As the BBL season approaches, all eyes will be on the star-studded lineup that the Sydney Sixers have assembled, with Babar Azam playing a central role in their championship chase.