BBL 2026 · Match 26 · Wed 6 Jan, 6:45 pm AEDT (1:15 pm IST)

Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Renegades match prediction and playing 11

Adelaide Strikers play Melbourne Renegades in match 26 of the BBL on Wed 6 Jan at 6:45 pm AEDT (1:15 pm IST), Adelaide Oval. Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades have met 21 times in the BBL: 13–8. Our fantasy pick for captain is Ben Stokes, with Liam Scott as vice-captain.

Suggested fantasy XI

Highest expected points from both probable XIs: 11 players, at most 7 from one side, 1–4 wicketkeepers, 3–6 batters, 1–4 all-rounders and 3–6 bowlers

Wicketkeepers · 2

Batters · 3

All-rounders · 3

Bowlers · 3

  • Option 2: Mark Chapman in for Michael Bracewell (253 expected points, against 254)
  • Option 3: Mark Chapman in for Jonny Bairstow (253 expected points, against 254)

Build your own: pick players and get the three best teams →

Suggestions are statistical estimates from past matches, not guarantees. CricketViz is not affiliated with the Big Bash League or any fantasy sports app.

Captain and vice-captain picks

Who to make captain and vice-captain, and why

CaptainBen Stokes ASExpected 23 points, so about 45 as captain (2×)Top scorer of this XI in 12% of 4,000 simulated matchesTop scorer of the match in no recent T20s
Vice-captainLiam Scott ASExpected 21 points, so about 32 as vice-captain (1.5×)In the XI's top two in 20% of 4,000 simulated matchesSecond-top scorer of the match in 0 of 21 T20s (0 of 15 in the BBL)

Close call: Ben Stokes and Liam Scott are only 1.3 expected points apart, so either is a sound captain. Ben Stokes tops this XI more often in our simulations (12% against 8%). Captaining Liam Scott is a differential pick that fewer teams are likely to make.

  • The captain earns double and the vice-captain one and a half times their points, so these two picks swing a fantasy team more than any other. Put your two highest expected scorers there.
  • When expected points are close, prefer the player who tops the scoring more often (the simulated share and the record below), or pick the other one as a differential that fewer teams will have.
  • All-rounders and top-order batters are steadier picks: they can score with the bat, the ball and in the field.
Captaincy options from the suggested XI
PlayerExp. ptsTop scorerTop twoBest CBest VC
Ben Stokes ASC25 recent T20s2312%23%——
Liam Scott ASVC25 recent T20s218%20%10%2/210%0/21
Oliver Peake MR7 recent T20s219%21%0%0/714%1/7
Will Sutherland MR25 recent T20s2110%22%12%4/330%0/33
Alex Carey AS25 recent T20s209%20%0%0/119%1/11
Jonny Bairstow MR25 recent T20s2014%24%7%5/735%4/73
  • Exp. pts: from the player's recent T20s (up to 25, shown under the name), newest counting most.
  • Top scorer / top two: how often the player scores the most (or is in the top two) in this XI, over 4,000 simulated matches.
  • Best C / VC: how often the player was the match's top (or second-top) fantasy scorer, across both teams, in their T20s of the last three years; not how many people picked them. How we calculate this

Adelaide Strikers predicted playing 11

PlayerExp. ptsLast 5 games
Matt ShortcaptainBAT · 25+ T20s192719-31915
Liam ScottBAT · 25+ T20s21119222917
Alex CareyWK · 25+ T20s2025-253112
Ben StokesoverseasAR · 25+ T20s239650238
Henry ThorntonBOWL · 25+ T20s16815121212
Lloyd PopeBOWL · 25+ T20s1628-624924
Jason SanghaBAT · 25+ T20s13224224
Mark ChapmanoverseasBAT · 25+ T20s1936255215
Mackenzie HarveyBAT · 25+ T20s1374311216
Jerrssis WadiaBAT · 7 T20s174059103
Thomas KellyBAT · 25+ T20s1336-111210
Rest of the squad (1)
Tom StrakerRole unknown · no T20 record in our data12—

Melbourne Renegades predicted playing 11

PlayerExp. ptsLast 5 games
Will SutherlandcaptainAR · 25+ T20s21251211-329
Josh BrownBAT · 25+ T20s2000265820
Caleb JewellBAT · 25+ T20s18251524319
Jake Fraser-McGurkBAT · 25+ T20s18843361511
Oliver PeakeBAT · 7 T20s212814102910
Jonny BairstowoverseasWK · 25+ T20s2032012360
Ben ManentiBOWL · 25+ T20s2037642866
Sam ElliottBOWL · 6 T20s191364382
Jason BehrendorffBOWL · 25+ T20s140023-2-1
Michael BracewelloverseasAR · 25+ T20s19121166212
Brendan DoggettBOWL · 25+ T20s12-722-3166
Rest of the squad (4)
Tom RogersBOWL · 25+ T20s165-9102412
Callum StowBOWL · 6 T20s1517522222
Harry DixonBAT · 4 T20s1239318
Michael ArcherBOWL · 1 T20s12-3

Predicted playing 11s are our estimate from each squad: once a side has played this season, its last XI, otherwise the captain first, then recent fantasy points, experience and last season's selections (with at most three overseas players). They change when the teams are announced at the toss.

How the points are counted

Playing in the XI+2
Each run+0.5
Each four / six (bonus on top of the runs)+0.5 / +1
50 / 100 runs (highest milestone only)+4 / +8
Out for a duck−2
Strike rate (5+ balls): under 70 / 130 and over−2 to −6 / +2 to +6
Each wicket (not run outs); bowled or lbw bonus+10; +2
3 / 4 / 5 wickets (bonuses add up)+6 / +8 / +10
Maiden over+4
Economy (1+ over): under 6 / 10 and over+2 to +6 / −2 to −6
Catch; 3+ catches bonus+4; +4 to +8
Stumping / direct-hit run out+6
Other run outs (thrower and catcher not recorded)+3 each
Captain / vice-captain2× / 1.5×

Our summary of a common T20 fantasy scoring system; apps differ, so check the values in the one you use. How we calculate expected points and picks →

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