MELBOURNE: In a day-night thriller to kick off the New Year in the Big Bash League 2025-26, the Sydney Sixers secured a convincing 6-wicket victory over the Melbourne Renegades with 5 balls to spare, chasing down a target of 165 at Docklands Stadium (also known as Marvel Stadium).
Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques won the toss and opted to field first on a pitch that offered some assistance to bowlers early on.
The Renegades, batting first, posted 164/9 in their 20 overs at a run rate of 8.20.
Explosive opener Josh Brown set the tone with a blistering 43 off 19 balls (3 fours, 4 sixes), but the middle order struggled for momentum.
Key contributions came from Jake Fraser-McGurk (38 off 29) and Hassan Khan (39 off 29, including 3 sixes), while Captain Will Sutherland added a quick 6. The innings faltered with regular wickets, including a collapse in the death overs.
The Sixers’ bowling attack was clinical, led by Sean Abbott’s outstanding 3/16 in 4 overs, which earned him Player of the Match honors. Jack Edwards (2/23), Ben Dwarshuis (2/47), and Hayden Kerr (2/40) provided strong support, restricting the Renegades despite a strong Powerplay (36/1).
In response, the Sixers reached 168/4 in 19.1 overs at 8.76 runs per over. Openers Daniel Hughes (30 off 23) and Babar Azam laid a solid foundation with a 46-run stand.
Azam anchored the chase masterfully, remaining unbeaten on 58 off 46 balls (4 fours, 1 six), reaching his fifty in 41 balls.
Josh Philippe chipped in with 16 off 12, Henriques smashed 23 off 18 (2 sixes), and Joel Davies provided the finishing fireworks with an unbeaten 34 off 15 (3 fours, 2 sixes).
The decisive moment came during the Power Surge in overs 13-14, where the Sixers accelerated to seal the win.
Ben Dwarshuis fell for a golden duck, but it didn’t derail the chase.
Renegades’ bowlers fought hard, with Gurinder Sandhu claiming 2/23 and Will Sutherland taking 1/27, but they couldn’t defend the total amid loose spells from Jason Behrendorff (0/35) and Andrew Tye (0/39 in 3.1 overs).
This win marks the Sixers’ second victory of the season, boosting them up the points table with 2 points from the match, while the Renegades remain winless.
Sean Abbott’s all-round impact (3 wickets and 2 catches) was highlighted as the game-changer in post-match analysis.
The crowd at Melbourne enjoyed a festive atmosphere, though the home side’s batting woes continue to plague their campaign.
