Cricket news: Pakistan great responds after Mark Waugh calls for Sydney Sixers to axe $420,000 star in BBL

Aussie cricket great Mark Waugh believes the Sydney Sixers need to axe big-money recruit Babar Azam to give them the best chance of winning the BBL title. And former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif reckons the recent drama around the $420,000 Sixers recruit is a sign that Australians no longer "trust the professional abilities" of cricketers from his home nation.

Pakistani great Babar has been largely underwhelming at the top of the order for the Sydneysiders, averaging just 22.44 from his 11 innings at a modest strike rate of 103.06. Babar has notched two half centuries but only has 19 fours and three sixes from the 196 balls he's faced.

The 31-year-old's last two knocks of 0 and 1 were hugely disappointing in crunch games for the Sixers. And it followed on from his 47 against the Sydney Thunder in a match where Babar was left fuming after a number of incidents with superstar teammate, Steve Smith.

The Sixers are set to play Hobart on Friday night at the SCG for a spot in the tournament decider against the Scorchers in Perth. And Waugh reckons a shake-up at the top of the order is necessary for Sydney, with Babar his top candidate to get the axe.

Mark Waugh reckons Sydney Sixers should drop Babar Azam

"I think they need to re-jig their batting because they're almost entirely reliant on Steve Smith," Waugh said on Fox Cricket. "Sam Curran got them out of jail in another game but he's gone so there's not a lot of players in form.

"I'm bringing in either (Daniel) Hughes or Jordan Silk and unfortunately I'm going to have to drop Babar Azam. I don't think he's done enough at the top of the order. I know he's world class but you're thinking about winning this tournament and so far he hasn't done it.

"So I'm thinking about a new opener. You can either have Moises Henriques to open, or bring in Daniel Hughes or Jordan Silk. One of those two, that's the way I'm thinking."

Former Pakistan captain Latif suggested there was a lack of trust in Pakistani players from within Australian cricket, following the calls to drop Babar. The Pakistan great's troubled time in the BBL also included a clash with Smith after the Australian super-bat turned down a single so he could retain the strike for the Power Surge after his teammate had struggled to find the boundary.

Sixers captain Henriques later put that down to a "misunderstanding of culture" and insisted the pair had "kissed and made up". Waugh's call to drop Azam has angered the Pakistani's loyal fan base but Latif, who played 37 Tests and 166 ODIs as well as captaining his country, understands the reasoning behind it.

He wrote on Facebook: "The standard of Pakistan cricket and its top players has gradually declined over the past two to three years. They are currently ranked 7th in T20, whereas there was a time when they were ranked 1st and played against the top cricketing nations.

"What happened to Pakistani players in the Big Bash in Australia has exposed Pakistan cricket. 1. Mohammad Rizwan being recalled (retired out) due to a slow strike rate. 2. Shaheen Afridi not completing over due to delivering dangerous full tosses. 3. Steve Smith not taking single indicates that Australians do not trust the professional abilities of Pakistani players. Shaheen, Rizwan, and Babar have been superstars of Pakistan and world cricket, but perhaps they are now losing that status."

Despite Babar's ordinary form, it's understood the Sixers will stick with their $420,000 man in the hope he fires against Hobart and guides them to a grand final showdown with the Scorchers on Sunday.

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