Multan Sultans have set the tone for the 2026 Pakistan Super League, collecting victories in four of their opening five fixtures to climb to the summit of the standings. Yet even during that dominant run, a tense flash unfolded during their fourth match on Sunday against Quetta Gladiators, when the side’s two top-order batters—Steve Smith and Sahibzada Farhan—were involved in a sharp moment of disagreement.
Smith attempted to work a fuller ball from Tom Curran towards the midwicket region, but the timing wasn’t there. Instead of getting proper contact, the delivery glanced off his inner edge, then struck his pad and rolled only a short distance.
With Curran slow to get to the ball, Smith looked to push for a quick single. Farhan, however, immediately sent it back, believing the call was too risky because the ball was still very close to the wicket area. The refusal visibly unsettled Smith as he trudged back into position.
The episode triggered instant deja vu among Pakistan supporters, who suggested it could be Farhan’s version of “payback” after Smith had treated Babar Azam in a similar manner during the previous Big Bash League campaign.
What happened between Smith and Babar?
The earlier incident took place in January 2026, when Smith and Babar were both representing the Sydney Sixers. During the ‘Power Surge’ portion of the innings, Babar had asked for a single. Smith, though, did not agree to the run.
With Smith having more control over the batting at that stage, he appeared to want to make the most of the favourable conditions and keep the strike for as long as possible, especially while fielding restrictions were in effect. At the time, Babar was on 47 off 38 deliveries and reacted with visible frustration.
The approach backfired for the batter who wanted the extra run, because Smith’s response was emphatic. He struck 32 runs in the following over, establishing a new BBL benchmark for the most expensive over. Then, once Babar returned to the strike, he was dismissed.
Later reports suggested the Pakistan batter felt “disrespected” by Smith’s decision, which in turn created tension in the dressing room, with Babar reportedly pulling away from the group.
In the aftermath, Smith played down the disagreement, describing it as a straightforward tactical choice aimed at attacking the short boundary.
Back in the PSL, Smith and Farhan have both been in striking form for Multan Sultans, and neither the batters nor the franchise has addressed what remains, for now, social media speculation.
For Multan, attention quickly shifts to the next assignment: a match versus Peshwar Zalmi on April 13 in Karachi.
