Big Bash League 2019 Match 23, Sydney Sixers vs Adelaide Strikers: Preview, likely XIs, predictions

Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers will face each other in the first fixture of January 5 at International Sports Stadium, Coffs Harbour. This is going to be a close encounter between two top contenders of the league.

Sydney Sixers are the only team apart from Sydney Thunder to have played six games in this tournament so far. With four wins they are enjoying same points as the table topper Melbourne Stars but ranked at second due to inferior NRR. It was the chasing part where the team had to give away two matches.

But the Sixers made a strong comeback and won their last game against Melbourne Renegades by six wickets. The batting has been decent so far with Josh Philippe leading the batting chart for quite some time. Moreover, almost everyone from the top order scored runs and completed the target of 155 against the Renegades.  Tom Curran has been a dependant name for the Sixers although he was a bit expensive last time.

On the other hand, Adelaide Strikers won three consecutive matches after an abandoned opening game. In their last match, the Strikers lost a close one against Sydney Thunder by only three runs. Their strategy looked simple. The batsmen successfully set huge targets in most of the matches and then the bowlers defended rightfully.

Alex Carey and Jake Weatherald are two prominent names in the batting department whereas Rashid Khan is the star attraction of the bowling unit. Khan showed his maturity by adding 40 runs in the last fixture and almost won it. But a mini collapse at the end took the match away from Adelaide Strikers. The Strikers must take this as an eye-opener because they have won matches only against the weaker teams thus far.

Key players

Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers)- Tom Curran has been the perfect all-rounder for Sydney Sixers. He scored 89 runs and took nine wickets in six games. In two crucial games, he showed his class; especially in the Super Over against Sydney Thunder, he proved to be a dependant team player.

Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers)- Rashid Khan is the leading wicket-taker of Adelaide Strikers with seven wickets to his name with an economy of 7.83. But the way he batted in the last outing against Sydney Thunder was outstanding. His untimely run-out saved the Thunder from a loss.

Likely XIs

Sydney Sixers: Josh Phillippe (wk), Daniel Hughes, James Vince, Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Jack Edwards, Tom Curran, Ben Dwarshuis, Benjamin Manenti, Lloyd Pope, Jackson Bird

Adelaide Strikers: Phil Salt, Jake Weatherald, Alex Carey (wk), Jonathan Wells, Rashid Khan, Cameron White, Matthew Short, Cameron Valente, Peter Siddle, Wes Agar, Billy Stanlake

Prediction

Adelaide Strikers to win.