Sydney Sixers Crush Hobart Hurricanes in BBL 2026

On January 23, 2026, the Sydney Sixers played awesome cricket and smacked the Hobart Hurricanes by 57 runs in the Big Bash League Challenger match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Sixers scored 198 for 8, and the Hurricanes only got to 141. It was really cool to see experienced guys like Steven Smith and young guns like Joel Davies do their thing.

This game wasn’t just about the score; it put the Sixers in a tough final against the Perth Scorchers. The Sixers won because they have a good mix of older and younger players, which makes them tough to beat in the BBL this year.

Sixers’ Batting Was On Fire

The Sixers’ batting was a mix of big hits and smart moves. Steven Smith was awesome, hitting 65 runs off 43 balls, including nine 4s and a 6. He got things going, so the other batters could just go for it.

Joel Davies was the man of the hour, scoring 27 off 12 balls. He and Lachlan Shaw (21 off 13) put on 48 runs off 25 balls, which really helped the Sixers late in the game. Moises Henriques also helped out with 19 off 8, so the team got over 190 runs easily.

Even the guys batting lower down, like Ben Manenti and Sean Abbott, scored some quick runs, helping the Sixers get to 198/8 in 20 overs. The other team gave away 12 runs with bad balls, which shows how much the Sixers were in charge while batting.

Sixers’ Bowling Was Spot On

The Sixers’ bowlers made sure the Hurricanes never had a chance. Riley Meredith was awesome, getting 3 wickets for 52 runs and putting the Hurricanes under pressure early on. Billy Stanlake also did well with 2 wickets for 46 runs.

Joel Davies, the left-arm spinner, was a game-changer. He grabbed 2 wickets for just 17 runs, bowling with great control. Sean Abbott’s 2/18 wrecked the Hurricanes’ batting lineup. Ben Dwarshuis helped out too, with 3 wickets for 26 runs, showing how strong the Sixers’ bowling is.

Hurricanes Had a Bad Day

The Hobart Hurricanes had a tough time from the start. They lost two wickets early, including Mitchell Owen and Tim Ward, which started them off badly. Their captain, Ben McDermott, scored the most runs with 40 off 26 balls, but nobody else really helped him out. Beau Webster only got 24 off 27 balls, which means he was having trouble scoring quickly enough.

The middle of the batting order fell apart, and they didn’t have any good partnerships, so the Hurricanes only got 141 runs in 17.2 overs. Stand-in players like Matthew Wade and Chris Jordan didn’t do much, which shows that the two teams weren’t evenly matched that night.

Arguments and Debates

There were a couple of little arguments during the game, especially about where the fielders should be and some DRS calls. One argument was about where to put a fielder during the partnership between Davies and Shaw. Also, Rishad Hossain getting Steven Smith out early led to chats about the Hurricanes missing chances, like a dropped catch that could have changed things.

Even with these arguments, the umpires and DRS made sure the game was fair. No big mistakes from the umpires changed the result, and both teams respected the decisions.

Big Moments

Steven Smith showed again why he’s one of Australia’s best T20 players. His 65 runs under pressure added to his awesome BBL record and made people wonder if he should be in the T20 World Cup squad.

Joel Davies did everything well, scoring runs quickly and taking 3 important catches. He looks like a future star in the league. He can change the game with both his batting and bowling, which makes him super valuable for the Sixers down the road.

Riley Meredith and Ben Dwarshuis bowled really well and got the Hurricanes’ middle order out. They bowled fast and spun the ball, which worked perfectly for the Sixers.

What This Game Means

This win puts the Sydney Sixers in the BBL final against the Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium. The Sixers have experience, can hit the ball hard, and have good bowlers, which makes them one of the favorites to win the trophy.

For the Hurricanes, this loss shows they need to be more consistent and handle pressure better. Even though some players did well, they couldn’t build partnerships, which cost them the game. This game could help the younger players on the Hurricanes learn a lot.

What I Think

I think this game showed how good the Sydney Sixers are because of their experience and how they plan things. Steven Smith was great, but Joel Davies stole the show with his all-around game. He took important wickets and caught the ball well, which shows he’s getting more confident in big games.

The Hobart Hurricanes missed their captain, Nathan Ellis, and other important players didn’t do much, so they couldn’t chase down a big score. Ben McDermott and Beau Webster showed some skill, but the team wasn’t steady enough to really challenge the Sixers.

I reckon that Smith, Davies, and Meredith will keep winning games for the Sixers in the final. The Hurricanes need to be better in the middle overs and take advantage of the first few overs when batting.

I predict the Sydney Sixers will win their next game against the Perth Scorchers if they keep playing like this. Joel Davies could be the key player, and Smith’s experience will help the team a lot. The Hurricanes need to plan better when they’re batting at the end of the innings and find ways to build partnerships when chasing a high score.

This game was exciting, with fast runs, smart bowling, and awesome moments that people will remember. The Sixers winning by 57 runs shows how strong they are and makes the BBL final sound super exciting.

What Could Happen Next:

Joel Davies might keep playing great and could be the best player in the next game. Steven Smith will probably score a lot of runs, and Riley Meredith and Ben Dwarshuis might get some early wickets again. The Hurricanes need McDermott and Webster to score consistently and might need to change their bowlers to stop the Sixers’ hitters.

Last Thoughts:

The Sydney Sixers vs Hobart Hurricanes game was a classic BBL match with good strategy, talent, and sportsmanship. The Sixers are really good at everything, which makes them the favorites for the final. The Hurricanes will learn from this game and try to do better in their next matches.