BBL 2026 · Match 18 · Thu 31 Dec, 6:45 pm AEDT (1:15 pm IST)

Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Stars match prediction and playing 11

Adelaide Strikers play Melbourne Stars in match 18 of the BBL on Thu 31 Dec at 6:45 pm AEDT (1:15 pm IST), Adelaide Oval. Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Stars have met 21 times in the BBL: 9–12. Our fantasy pick for captain is Finn Allen, with Sam Harper 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 · 4

All-rounders · 2

Bowlers · 3

  • Option 2: Matt Short in for Alex Carey (289 expected points, against 290)
  • Option 3: Lloyd Pope in for Mark Chapman (286 expected points, against 290)

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

CaptainFinn Allen MSExpected 29 points, so about 59 as captain (2×)Top scorer of this XI in 23% of 4,000 simulated matchesTop scorer of the match in 7 of 67 T20s (2 of 21 in the BBL)
Vice-captainSam Harper MSExpected 28 points, so about 43 as vice-captain (1.5×)In the XI's top two in 29% of 4,000 simulated matchesSecond-top scorer of the match in 2 of 35 T20s (0 of 23 in the BBL)

Close call: Finn Allen and Sam Harper are only 0.9 expected points apart, so either is a sound captain. Finn Allen tops this XI more often in our simulations (23% against 16%). Captaining Sam Harper 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
Finn Allen MSC25 recent T20s2923%35%10%7/6710%7/67
Sam Harper MSVC25 recent T20s2816%29%9%3/356%2/35
Craig Overton MS25 recent T20s277%16%4%2/472%1/47
Jamie Overton MS25 recent T20s2610%23%7%6/845%4/84
Ben Stokes AS25 recent T20s239%18%——
Liam Scott AS25 recent T20s217%17%10%2/210%0/21
  • 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 Stars predicted playing 11

PlayerExp. ptsLast 5 games
Marcus StoiniscaptainBAT · 25+ T20s1922572636
Sam HarperWK · 25+ T20s28759413155
Finn AllenoverseasBAT · 25+ T20s292311712079
Craig OvertonoverseasBOWL · 25+ T20s272789231623
Jamie OvertonoverseasAR · 25+ T20s262434284014
Hilton CartwrightBAT · 25+ T20s20151924635
Peter SiddleBOWL · 25+ T20s17512421222
Glenn MaxwellBAT · 25+ T20s16421473-3
Tom RogersBAT · 25+ T20s1526180136
Mitchell SwepsonBOWL · 25+ T20s13254221
Liam HatcherBOWL · 25+ T20s11-3-63062
Rest of the squad (3)
Campbell KellawayBAT · 21 T20s13613-463
Todd MurphyBOWL · 25+ T20s131466302
Austin AnlezarkRole unknown · no T20 record in our data12—

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 →

More on this match