Melbourne Stars skipper Marcus Stoinis has shed light on the animated send-off he gave to Pakistan batting maestro Babar Azam during Thursday night's Big Bash League clash at the MCG.
Sixers Dominate as Stars' Batting Falters
The Sydney Sixers extended their winning streak with a commanding six-wicket victory over the Melbourne Stars, chasing down a modest target of 129 with 17 balls to spare. The Stars, sent in to bat, were strangled by a disciplined Sixers bowling attack and bundled out for 128 in 19.5 overs.
Left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis was the chief destroyer for the visitors, claiming impressive figures of 4-13 from his 3.5 overs. He came agonisingly close to a hat-trick in the 18th over, removing Stoinis and Haris Rauf with consecutive deliveries. Jack Edwards (3-27) and Joel Davies (2-15) provided crucial support, with the latter's economical spell putting a major brake on the Stars' innings.
For the home side, only Stoinis (33 off 35) and Blake Macdonald (33 off 22) offered significant resistance, both falling to Dwarshuis. Star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell's difficult season continued, dismissed for just one run.
Stoinis Points Finger at Commentary Team
The match's most talked-about moment came when Stoinis, after trapping Babar Azam lbw for 12, was heard on the stump mic delivering a pointed send-off. "See you later, Babar. See you later, brother," the Australian all-rounder said.
Speaking post-match, Stoinis humorously blamed the Channel 7 commentary team, specifically Mark Howard, for the incident. "I heard Howie saying how good it was to hear a straight drive in the nets from Babar Azam," Stoinis explained. "And I was like, talk about one of our boys, Howie... So there you go, Howie. That's for you, mate."
Momentum Shifts in BBL Standings
The result marks a significant shift in momentum for both franchises. The Sixers have now secured three consecutive wins, improving their record to 4-3 and positioning themselves for a strong finish with Test stars Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc set to join the squad.
"It's a big opportunity," said Sixers import Sam Curran. "The guys have built some momentum on the road... it's exciting times for the group."
Conversely, the Melbourne Stars have suffered three straight losses after a promising 4-0 start to their campaign. They now face a quick turnaround and a chance for redemption in the Melbourne derby against the Renegades on Saturday.
"We'll stay tight as a group," said Stars batter Blake Macdonald. "We started on a heater, so we know that if we can get a win we can get that momentum again. A win there and hopefully we can get on a roll again."
The Sixers' chase was a controlled affair, with Josh Philippe top-scoring with 35 from 25 balls before Lachlan Shaw (24 not out) and Jordan Silk (18 not out) guided them to a comfortable victory.
