World-renowned batter Babar Azam continues to inspire the next generation of cricketers as another emerging batter has underlined Babar’s growing reputation as a player who improves everyone around him.
Talented opening batsman Shamyl Hussain, who is currently making headlines in the ongoing President’s Cup, described how one innings with Babar improved his game.
“I batted with Babar bhai in one match; that feeling was different,” Shamyl said. “He keeps guiding you, and you start paying more attention to what he says. He has so much experience; when someone has stayed at the top for such a long time, you try to pick his brain.”
Shamyl’s words carry weight given his recent form. In the 2025–26 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, he went from being labeled “promising” to one of the standout batters of the season.
Opening for Islamabad, he spent most of the tournament near the top of the run charts, including back‑to‑back centuries. That red‑ball form continued into the ongoing President’s Cup for Pakistan Television (PTV), where he put together six consecutive 50‑plus scores across formats, firmly pushing himself into national contention.
Babar is having a similar effect on teammates in the ongoing 2025/26 Big Bash League (BBL 15). After a match-winning knock for the Sydney Sixers, Josh Philippe highlighted how batting with Babar changed the chase. He called the experience “outstanding,” explaining that Babar stayed calm, kept him on track, and guided him through different phases of the innings while keeping things simple in the middle, something Philippe said made a clear difference under pressure.
At the Under‑19 level, Sameer Minhas has also pointed directly to Babar Azam as his main influence. Pakistan’s latest batting star, and the standout of the 2025 ACC U19 Asia Cup, has named Babar as his favorite cricketer and the biggest impact on his own batting.
Sameer smashed 172 off 113 balls in the final against India in Dubai, after already scoring an unbeaten 177 earlier in the tournament and another unbeaten fifty. He finished with a huge run tally and swept both Player of the Match in the final and Player of the Series.
His measured starts and controlled acceleration have already drawn comparisons with the former Pakistan captain he closely follows.
Meanwhile, Babar himself is at the center of BBL 15’s surge in popularity. His presence, along with other Pakistani players, has helped drive record streaming numbers and strong early‑season crowds.
The Sixers have even expanded a dedicated “Babaristan” section at the SCG as demand to watch him live continues to grow, and his early performances have reinforced his status as one of the league’s main attractions.
