Sydney Sixers sign Babar Azam for his maiden BBL deal

Sydney Sixers have brought in Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam as a pre-draft signing for the upcoming BBL season. Babar will join Steven Smith in the Sixers side after he was roped in as their international recruit ahead of the overseas draft, which is scheduled for June 19.

As per the league rules, each BBL side can sign one international recruit before the draft. Until now, Sixers were the only side who had not brought on board a pre-signed overseas player. Apart from Babar and Smith, the Sixers squad now includes Sean Abbott, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Todd Murphy, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe and Jordan Silk.

"It's an exciting opportunity to play in one of the world's best T20 leagues and to be a part of such a successful and respected franchise," Babar said in a Sixers release. "I'm looking forward to contributing to the team's success, building a strong connection with the fans, and sharing this experience with my friends, family and supporters at home in Pakistan."

Among Pakistani names, Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan are also set to feature in the next BBL, although they all will be part of the overseas draft next week.

Babar has a wealth of T20 experience to his name, having played 320 matches so far, most recently in the PSL where he led Peshawar Zalmi. Even though his side finished second from bottom, Babar was the leading scorer for Zalmi with a tally of 288 runs from 10 innings, while striking at 128.57.

Babar has, however, gone out of favour in Pakistan's national T20 side, having been dropped earlier this year. Across the world, he has played in several T20 leagues, including the CPL, BPL, LPL and the Vitality Blast in England.

"Babar's resume speaks for itself," Sixers general manager Rachael Haynes said. "The skill, professionalism, and experience that he brings is of enormous value to our playing group and the news is obviously incredibly exciting for our fans.

"He is a world-class player and a proven leader. He's not only a huge addition to our club, but to the league as a whole. The Sixers strive to be a destination club on the global stage - from playing at the iconic SCG to delivering world-class match day experiences and signing the top talent from around the world - and securing a player of Babar's calibre only further strengthens that vision."