The Babar Azam fever in the Big Bash League (BBL 15) has officially gone up a notch. The Sydney Sixers have expanded the Pakistani star batter’s fan enclosure, “Babaristan,” for the Boxing Day Bash after a surge in demand for tickets ahead of the blockbuster clash against the Melbourne Stars on December 26.
The Sixers confirmed that more seats in the Babaristan zone have been opened up after the original allocation sold rapidly, with fans eager to see Pakistan’s batting maestro in action at the SCG.
Babar, who made a slow start to his Big Bash stint, roared back into form with a stylish half-century against the Sydney Thunder, reigniting the hype around his maiden BBL campaign. His return to touch has only intensified interest in the Boxing Day fixture, where he will line up opposite fellow Pakistan star Haris Rauf.
Rauf, spearheading the Stars’ attack, has been in lively form himself, striking regularly with the ball, including a strong showing in his last outing against the Adelaide Strikers.
The prospect of Babar Azam facing Haris Rauf under lights has turned the Sixers–Stars matchup into one of the most anticipated contests of the season.
The Babaristan zone was launched by the Sixers as a special tribute to Pakistan’s former captain, with the club billing it as “a fan zone like no other” to celebrate one of world cricket’s premier batters.
Promoted heavily on social media, the concept has resonated with both Australian and Pakistani fans, who have embraced the idea of turning parts of the SCG into a mini “Babaristan.”
With the Sixers already enjoying strong support and the Big Bash’s 15th edition packed with star power, the Boxing Day Bash now shapes as a showcase of not just T20 skill, but the growing global pull of Babar Azam.
