end of business Big Bash League 2025-26 Has arrived. As the defending champions it is a win or go home scenario at Bellerive Oval (Ninja Stadium). Hobart Hurricanehost melbourne stars In the knockout final.
The Hurricanes finished the regular season in third place, but entered this clash due to the loss of key personnel. Meanwhile, the Stars (fourth) arrived with a full strength team in an attempt to settle the scores after Hobart’s dominance in recent years.
A big blow for the host team, the regular captain and death bowling specialist nathan ellis Has been ruled out due to an injury sustained against the Heat. ben mcdermott Takes the reins. Hurricane also lost the services of English sensation Rehan Ahmed (International duty) and Jake Weatherald. Bangladeshi leg spinner Rishad Hossain has been in great form this season and will have to lead the spin department in Rehan’s absence. beau websterThe former Stars player has been in peak form against his old team, posing a dual challenge with his towering height and middle-order strength.
Unlike their opponents, the Stars have selected an unchanged 14-man squad. They are on the rise based on their form Haris Rauf And Peter SiddallWho has taken a total of 34 wickets this season. While The Big Show glen maxwell By his standards, he has had a quiet tournament, remaining the most dangerous player on the field in high-pressure knockout games. Sam Harper, Currently sitting third on the Golden Bat leaderboard, his explosive start at the top of the order could take the game away from Hobart in the powerplay.
HH vs MS, BBL|15 Knockouts: Match Details
- date and time: 21 January (Wednesday); 02:00 PM IST / 8:30 AM GMT / 7:30 PM local
- venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart
HH vs MS, head-to-head record in BBL
Matches played: 23 | Melbourne Stars won: 15 | Hobart Hurricanes won: 08 | No result/tied: 0
bellerive oval pitch report
The Bellerive Oval pitch for this knockout encounter is expected to be a balanced surface that offers something for everyone. Historically, this is a batting-friendly deck where the ball comes to the bat well, evidenced by the average first innings score of 174 in recent BBL outings. However, the evening sea breeze in Hobart usually helps new bowlers with initial swing and movement. While fast bowlers delight in the extra bounce and carry, the surface can become slow as the game progresses, making variations and slower balls important. Spinners may struggle to get turn, but dew could be a deciding factor for the other bowling team.
Squad:
Melbourne Stars: Thomas Fraser Rogers, Sam Harper (wk), Joe Clarke, Campbell Callaway, Marcus Stoinis (c), Hilton Cartwright, Glenn Maxwell, Tom Curran, Mitchell Swepson, Haris Rauf, Peter Siddle, Liam Hatcher, Blake McDonald, Hamish McKenzie
Hobart Hurricane: Tim Ward, Mitchell Owen, Beau Webster, Ben McDermott (captain), Nikhil Chaudhary, Matthew Wade (WK), Chris Jordan, Jackson Bird, Rishad Hussain, Riley Meredith, Billy Stanlake, Will Prestwitz, Charlie Wakim, McAllister Wright
Also read: Tactical genius or team friction? Mitchell Starc weighs in on Steve Smith-Babar Azam drama in BBL|15
HH vs MS, BBL|15 Knockouts: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Melbourne Stars won the toss and bowled first
- Hobart Hurricanes Powerplay Score: 50-60
- Hobart Hurricanes Total Score: 180-190
Case 2:
- Hobart Hurricanes won the toss and bowled first
- Melbourne Stars Powerplay Score: 40-50
- Melbourne Stars total score: 160-170
Match result: The team batting second wins the competition.