In a bold statement that has sparked discussions across cricket circles, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has come out in strong support of Steve Smith’s decision to deny Babar Azam a single during the Big Bash League. Speaking exclusively to IANS from New Delhi on January 23, Kaneria dismissed any notions of controversy, calling it a tactical masterstroke in the team’s best interest.
The incident unfolded in a high-stakes match where Smith’s refusal to rotate the strike with Babar was pivotal. ‘Decisions are made based on match situations,’ Kaneria explained. ‘Babar wasn’t scoring freely at that point, so Smith rightly turned down the single. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a team-oriented call, and let’s be real—Babar Azam isn’t Viv Richards, someone you can’t deny a run to.’
Just one over later, Smith unleashed carnage, smashing 32 runs and going on to notch a match-winning century off 41 balls, steering his side to victory. This performance underscored the wisdom behind his on-field judgment.
Kaneria also addressed another contentious moment in the same tournament: Mohammad Rizwan being retired out. ‘This has happened before, like with Tilak Varma in the IPL,’ he noted. ‘Teams make calls based on circumstances. Pakistani experts shouldn’t blow it out of proportion.’
Pakistan’s stars, including Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan, headed to BBL 2025-26 with high expectations but largely underdelivered. Shaheen exited early due to injury, Shadab returned for national duties, while Babar and Rizwan faced backlash for sluggish batting. Haris proved expensive with the ball.
Babar managed 202 runs in 11 innings at an average of 22.44 and a strike rate of 103.6, including two fifties. Rizwan scored 187 runs in 10 knocks at 18.70 average and 102.74 strike rate, without a single half-century. Babar has already left Sydney Sixers ahead of their Challenger match, reportedly to avoid being dropped.
Kaneria’s forthright views highlight the cut-throat nature of T20 cricket, where individual egos must bow to team strategy. As Pakistan’s players reflect on their BBL stints, the debate rages on about strike rates and tactical denials in modern limited-overs game.
