IPL Millionaire Sam Billings Publicly Trolls Babar Azam Over Slow Half-Century in PSL

As the Pakistan Super League (PSL) resumes its 10th season from May 17 after a pause due to Indo-Pak tensions, one incident is grabbing social media attention. England’s wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings, currently playing for Lahore Qalandars in PSL, took a public dig at Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam, captain of Peshawar Zalmi, mocking his slow fifty this season.

What Did Sam Billings Say?

• Sam Billings, who scored the fastest half-century of PSL 2025 (an unbeaten 50 off just 19 balls), shared a story on Instagram trolling Babar Azam for the slowest fifty of the season.
• Babar Azam’s half-century came off 47 balls against Islamabad United, the slowest fifty in this PSL season.
• Billings’ social media post quickly went viral, stirring up debates among cricket fans.

Performance Comparison This Season Player Matches Innings Runs Average Strike Rate Half-Centuries

Sam Billings	9	8	161	26.83	185.05	1
Babar Azam	8	8	178	29.66	109.87	2

 

• Billings' explosive batting contrasts with Babar’s more measured style this season.

Billings’ IPL Journey & Earnings

• Sam Billings played for Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders between 2016 and 2022.
• Over his IPL career, he earned around ₹6.60 crores.
• He played 30 IPL matches, scoring 503 runs at an average of 19.34, including 3 half-centuries.
• Despite his IPL stint, Billings was not picked for IPL 2024 and shifted focus to PSL this year.

Reaction & Impact

• Billings’ public trolling of Babar Azam — one of Pakistan’s biggest cricket stars — has sparked mixed reactions online.
• While some see it as lighthearted banter, others view it as disrespectful.
• This episode highlights the intense rivalry and ongoing banter between players from the IPL and PSL.

In summary, Sam Billings, an IPL millionaire, has drawn attention by publicly mocking Babar Azam’s batting pace this PSL season, creating buzz on social media amid the ongoing cricketing tussle between the two leagues.