Sydney Sixers launched their 2026 Women’s Big Bash League campaign with a narrow four-wicket victory over the Brisbane Heat in Brisbane on Friday, October 30. While the Sixers appeared to be cruising toward a comfortable result for much of the contest, a late-innings collapse nearly derailed their efforts, forcing the game into a dramatic finish on the final delivery.
The Brisbane Heat’s batting effort started aggressively after they were asked to bat first. Charli Knott struck boundaries off the opening two balls and cleared the ropes shortly after. Despite losing opening partner Grace Harris early, Knott combined with Georgia Redmayne to dominate the bowling, steering the team to 79/1 by the halfway stage. Both players reached half-centuries, but Ashleigh Gardner halted their 97-run partnership, triggering a collapse that saw the Heat finish on 154/5—a total likely 20 runs short of expectations after their strong start. Gardner finished with impressive figures of 2-25. Georgia Redmayne then took over with successive boundaries as the pair dominated proceedings to guide Heat to 79/1 at the halfway mark. Ashleigh Gardner then returned to the attack to finally break the 97-run stand which eventually had a huge say in the end result. Only 37 runs were scored in the final five overs which meant Heat finished with only 154 – a total that was definitely 20 short given where they were at one point. Sapping them of all the momentum they had gained up until then, heat stuttered at the death and kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
In response, the Sixers chased the target with significant momentum, reaching 53/0 after six overs behind a rapid start from Sophia Dunkley. Although Sianna Ginger dismissed Dunkley to provide the Heat a breakthrough, Ellyse Perry remained at the crease to keep the pressure on. Perry accelerated in the 13th over, striking four boundaries against Lucy Hamilton, and continued her momentum even after Amelia Kerr departed for 18. By the time Perry brought up her fifty and followed it with a six, the Sixers needed only 41 runs from 36 balls with eight wickets in hand. The two batters made merry and even brought up their respective fifties in the same over, with momentum firmly on their side. The pattern was quite similar in the chase as well. Even after Kerr got castled for a 20-ball 18, Perry still kept going, brought up her fifty with a four and followed it up with a six off the next ball to bring the equation down to 41 off 36 with 8 wickets in hand.
The game shifted again when the Heat dismissed both Perry and Gardner in quick succession, creating a tense atmosphere in the final stages. With the target narrowing to 10 off eight balls and then 5 off six, the Sixers faced a mounting challenge following a series of dot balls and a run-out. Needing two runs from the final delivery, Sarah Coyte found a gap in the field to secure the win.
This outcome extends a difficult period for the Brisbane Heat, whose wait for a victory in the competition has now exceeded 700 days. The brief scores for the match were: Brisbane Heat 154/5 in 20 overs (Georgia Redmayne 58, Charli Knott 57; Ashleigh Gardner 2-25) lost to Sydney Sixers 157/6 in 20 overs (Ellyse Perry 58, Sophia Dunkley 37; Charli Knott 2-25) by 4 wickets.
