{"id":418138,"date":"2026-01-17T02:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T02:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/418138\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T02:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T02:03:09","slug":"steve-smith-smashes-absurd-ton-as-superstar-teammate-babar-azam-fumes-during-wild-bbl-clash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/418138\/","title":{"rendered":"Steve Smith smashes absurd ton as superstar teammate Babar Azam fumes during wild BBL clash"},"content":{"rendered":"

Steve Smith has eclipsed David Warner by scoring a 41-ball century and setting a Big Bash<\/a> record as the Sydney Sixers claimed a five-wicket victory over the Sydney Thunder.<\/p>\n

After Warner had whacked 110 not out off 65 balls at the SCG on Friday, setting the Sixers a target of 190 to win, Smith stepped up and upstaged his long-time international teammate.<\/p>\n

The Test batsman crunched 100 in an electric knock which included five fours and nine sixes, including one that hit the roof.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

Smith briefly threatened to race to the fastest BBL ton (39 balls) but still left the SCG with a record to his name.<\/p>\n

After overruling Babar Azam to take the strike in the power surge, the former Australian captain punished Ryan Hadley with four back-to-back sixes in an over.<\/p>\n

In total, the Sixers batsman humiliated the Thunder bowler by dispatching him for a record 32 runs off a single over.<\/p>\n

Azam was furious with Smith\u2019s decision to not take the single on the last ball of the previous over, but the Aussie\u2019s call was immediately vindicated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spoke at the 10-over mark and they said \u2018take the surge straight away\u2019 and I was like \u2018nah give it one over, I want to hit to the short boundary\u2019,\u201d Smith told Channel 7 after the match.<\/p>\n

\u201cI looked to try and get 30 off that over and I think we got 32 so a good result.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think Babar was too happy with me knocking back that single though.\u201d<\/p>\n

Azam, who scored 47, then went out on the first ball of the next over as his frustration boiled over. He smashed the boundary rope with his bat as he trudged off.<\/p>\n

Not only did Smith give Hadley a hard night but he also stole Warner\u2019s limelight and hope of pulling off an upset for the Thunder.<\/p>\n

Battling a knee complaint that ruled him out of Monday\u2019s loss to the Melbourne Renegades, the 39-year-old Warner raced to a fourth-straight 50 and left the Sixers\u2019 bowlers second guessing themselves as he brought up his ton.<\/p>\n

Warner\u2019s knock takes him atop of the BBL runscoring charts and the veteran batsman even made light work of Mitchell Starc – playing his first game in the competition in 11 years – by sending the Test bowler for a six over backward point.<\/p>\n

But any sense that would be enough to secure a win – and put a dent in the Sixers\u2019 finals hopes – were put to bed by an 141-run opening stand between Azam (47 off 39) and Smith.<\/p>\n

On a rapid outfield, Smith was in fine touch from the get-go before falling for 100 when he was stumped by Sam Billings as he came down the wicket to Tanveer Sangha.<\/p>\n

The fall of Smith briefly opened the door for the Thunder after Moises Henriques, Sam Curran and Josh Philippe had all departed for single figure scores.<\/p>\n

But Jack Edwards (17 not out) thrashed Hadley for a six to give the Sixers a win with 16 balls to spare.<\/p>\n

The Sixers moved up to fourth with the win and can lock in a finals berth by beating the Brisbane Heat on Sunday.<\/p>\n

– With 7NEWS.com.au<\/p>\n

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