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Smith & Curran Shine as Sixers Beat Heat in BBL Thriller

The Sydney Sixers defeated the Brisbane Heat by five wickets in the BBL, chasing down a target of 172. Steve Smith scored a crucial 54, while Sam Curran sealed the win with an unbeaten 53, earning Player of the Match honors. Mitchell Starc was instrumental with the ball, taking four wickets to restrict the Heat. The victory secures the Sixers second place and a qualifier match against the Perth Scorchers.

Key Points: Sydney Sixers Beat Brisbane Heat in BBL 2025-26

  • Steve Smith's 54-run knock
  • Sam Curran's unbeaten match-winning 53
  • Mitchell Starc's four-wicket haul
  • Sixers secure second spot in standings
2 min read

BBL: Curran, Smith and Starc shine as Sydney Sixers beat Brisbane Heat by five wickets

Steve Smith scores 54, Sam Curran hits 53* as Sydney Sixers chase 172 to beat Brisbane Heat by 5 wickets. Mitchell Starc takes 4 wickets.

"It got a lot closer than I thought. Really pleased we got the second spot. - Sam Curran"

Brisbane, January 18

A brilliant half-century from Steve Smith and Sam Curran and a fantastic four-wicket haul by ace speedster Mitchell Starc helped the Sydney Sixers secure a five-wicket win against the Brisbane Heat in the 40th match of the ongoing Big Bash League 2025-26 season on Sunday.

With this victory, the Sixers will face the Perth Scorchers in the first qualifier at Perth Stadium on January 20. The winner of the high-voltage match will qualify for the tournament finals.

Batting first, Brisbane Heat posted a competitive score of 171/9 in 20 overs. Nathan McSweeney plated a fantastic unbeaten knock of 69 runs off 54 balls, along with eight fours.

With the ball, left-arm seamer Starc picked up a four-wicket haul (4/35) in his four-over spell. Speedster Sam Curran (2/37) also had decent figures.

While chasing 172, Steve Smith played a brilliant knock of 54 runs off 40 deliveries, including five fours.

All-rounder Sam Curran played a match-winning knock of an unbeaten 53 off 27 balls, with the help of five fours and two sixes as Sixers chased down the target in 18.4 overs. Curran was named Player of the Match for his superb innings.

During the post-match presentation ceremony, Curran said the team is very pleased to finish second in the standings. However, Curran confirmed that he will leave the Sixers to join England in Sri Lanka.

"It got a lot closer than I thought. Really pleased we got the second spot, so they get two cracks at it. Unfortunately, I'm leaving in the morning to join up with England. So I'll be watching the boys from there. I was thinking, imagine if I get on that flight and I lose this game for the team," Curran said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Steve Smith is just a different beast. Even in T20s, he plays proper cricket shots and still scores at a great rate. That 54 off 40 set the perfect platform. Sixers look strong for the qualifier!
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Vikram M
Mitchell Starc with 4 wickets! When he's on song, he's almost unplayable. That's the kind of firepower you need heading into the playoffs. The Sixers vs Scorchers qualifier is going to be a cracker. Can't wait!
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Priya S
Enjoyed watching this match. But honestly, the BBL schedule overlapping with international tours is a bit frustrating for fans. You build a connection with a player like Curran and then he has to leave mid-tournament. The league needs better planning.
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Rohit P
Nathan McSweeney's 69* was a brilliant lone hand for the Heat. Without him, they would have been bundled out for 120. Sometimes the best knock comes from the losing side. Tough luck for Brisbane.
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Michael C
Curran's quote about imagining getting on the flight after losing the game shows how much these players care. Great professional attitude. Wishing the Sixers all the best against Perth. Should be a high-quality game.

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