The Australian cricket legend Steve Smith has shut down all speculation surrounding his relationship with Pakistan's former captain Babar Azam. Rumors of a supposed rift between the two batsmen circulated swiftly on social media after their match in the 2025-26 Big Bash League (BBL) between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder.
The incident stemmed from the moment on January 16 (Friday) when Steve Smith denied Babar Azam a single during the match against Sydney Thunder. As Babar walked back to the pavilion after getting out, his disappointed expression was caught on camera, escalating the controversy.
It Was Just a Misunderstanding: Steve Smith
Before the match against Brisbane Heat at The Gabba, commentator Isa Guha inquired of Steve Smith, 'Are you and Babar on good terms now?' Smith promptly responded, stating that there was no animosity between them and it was merely a case of misunderstanding. Broadcast footage showed both players conversing comfortably, discussing golf and the previous innings.
Steve Smith remarked, 'Everything's perfectly fine. We were just having a chat. He played brilliantly in the last match, and our partnership was fantastic. We were merely discussing golf.' During the game against Sydney Thunder, in the final delivery of the first over of the power surge, Smith refused a single to Babar Azam. Though Babar appeared disgruntled, Smith validated his decision by hitting four consecutive sixes in the next over, amassing 32 runs.
Following the end of the power surge, Babar Azam got out immediately. As he returned to the pavilion, he was seen striking his bat on the boundary rope, igniting further controversy. Reports from Code Sports claimed that Babar did not participate in the post-match presentation and remained in the dressing room. However, Smith later clarified that it was all part of the team strategy and Babar had been informed earlier.
Steve Smith explained, 'We discussed this in the tenth over. I told him to hold on for one over. I aimed to score 30 runs from the shorter boundary side. We ended up scoring 32, so the plan worked. Perhaps Babar wasn't pleased with my decision to skip the single.'
Steve Smith's recent statement has now clarified the entire situation. It’s evident that there's no tension between the two players and they're solely focused on delivering better performances for the team...
