BBL 2026 · Match 21 · Sat 2 Jan, 7:15 pm AEDT (1:45 pm IST)

Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers match prediction and playing 11

Sydney Thunder play Perth Scorchers in match 21 of the BBL on Sat 2 Jan at 7:15 pm AEDT (1:45 pm IST), Sydney Showground Stadium. Sydney Thunder and Perth Scorchers have met 20 times in the BBL: 11–9. Our fantasy pick for captain is David Warner, with Mitchell Marsh 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 · 1

Batters · 5

All-rounders · 1

Bowlers · 4

  • Option 2: Joel Paris in for Cooper Connolly (333 expected points, against 335)
  • Option 3: Nic Maddinson in for Lance Morris (331 expected points, against 335)

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

CaptainDavid Warner STExpected 33 points, so about 67 as captain (2×)Top scorer of this XI in 19% of 4,000 simulated matchesTop scorer of the match in 9 of 68 T20s (4 of 22 in the BBL)
Vice-captainMitchell Marsh PSExpected 33 points, so about 50 as vice-captain (1.5×)In the XI's top two in 26% of 4,000 simulated matchesSecond-top scorer of the match in 9 of 81 T20s (1 of 13 in the BBL)

Close call: David Warner and Mitchell Marsh are only 0.3 expected points apart, so either is a sound captain. David Warner tops this XI more often in our simulations (19% against 14%). Captaining Mitchell Marsh 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
David Warner STC25 recent T20s3319%32%13%9/6810%7/68
Mitchell Marsh PSVC25 recent T20s3314%26%10%8/8111%9/81
Aaron Hardie PS25 recent T20s3212%21%5%2/447%3/44
Calvin Harrison PS25 recent T20s2512%20%7%3/422%1/42
Ashton Turner PS25 recent T20s257%16%4%3/815%4/81
Daniel Sams ST25 recent T20s245%15%1%1/915%5/91
  • 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

Sydney Thunder predicted playing 11

PlayerExp. ptsLast 5 games
David WarnerBAT · 25+ T20s33705113037
Sam BillingsoverseasWK · 25+ T20s2224-213043
Daniel SamsAR · 25+ T20s241626332419
Chris GreenBOWL · 25+ T20s2438632746
Nic MaddinsonBAT · 25+ T20s182026172119
Matthew GilkesWK · 25+ T20s17938340
Cameron BancroftWK · 25+ T20s14120382
Tanveer SanghaBOWL · 25+ T20s1216462-3
Sam KonstasBAT · 14 T20s14117-3019
Aidan O'ConnorBOWL · 1 T20s1712
Lockie FergusonoverseasBOWL · 25+ T20s14-410-42254
Rest of the squad (2)
Trent BoultoverseasBOWL · 25+ T20s113148-32
Ryan HadleyBOWL · 4 T20s10-422-41

Perth Scorchers predicted playing 11

PlayerExp. ptsLast 5 games
Ashton TurnercaptainBAT · 25+ T20s2558132848
Mitchell MarshBAT · 25+ T20s335422146973
Aaron HardieBAT · 25+ T20s32628955615
Jhye RichardsonBOWL · 25+ T20s23442480-28
Cooper ConnollyBAT · 25+ T20s23113411929
Joel ParisBOWL · 25+ T20s212054222022
Calvin HarrisonoverseasBOWL · 25+ T20s25192326052
Ashton AgarBOWL · 25+ T20s1727421230
Mahli BeardmanBOWL · 14 T20s192229381622
Lance MorrisBOWL · 25+ T20s211634244226
Joel CurtisWK · 1 T20s167
Rest of the squad (3)
Zak CrawleyoverseasBAT · 25+ T20s1882528106
Brody CouchBOWL · 25+ T20s100-401222
Will MalajczukRole 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 →

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