WBBL 2026 · Match 1 · Thu 29 Oct, 3:40 pm AEDT (10:10 am IST)

Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Thunder match prediction and playing 11

Melbourne Renegades play Sydney Thunder in match 1 of the WBBL on Thu 29 Oct at 3:40 pm AEDT (10:10 am IST), Junction Oval, Melbourne. Melbourne Renegades and Sydney Thunder have met 17 times in the WBBL: 9–8. Our fantasy pick for captain is Hayley Matthews, with Georgia Wareham 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 · 3

All-rounders · 4

Bowlers · 3

  • Option 2: Phoebe Litchfield in for Deandra Dottin (283 expected points, against 284)
  • Option 3: Phoebe Litchfield, Anika Learoyd in for Sophie Molineux, Deandra Dottin (281 expected points, against 284)

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 Women's Big Bash League or any fantasy sports app.

Captain and vice-captain picks

Who to make captain and vice-captain, and why

CaptainHayley Matthews MRExpected 32 points, so about 65 as captain (2×)Top scorer of this XI in 23% of 4,000 simulated matchesTop scorer of the match in 22 of 92 T20s (3 of 20 in the WBBL)
Vice-captainGeorgia Wareham MRExpected 24 points, so about 36 as vice-captain (1.5×)In the XI's top two in 30% of 4,000 simulated matchesSecond-top scorer of the match in 11 of 93 T20s (4 of 31 in the WBBL)
  • 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
Hayley Matthews MRC25 recent T20s3223%38%24%22/9216%15/92
Georgia Wareham MRVC25 recent T20s2416%30%10%9/9312%11/93
Annie Wikman MR4 recent T20s235%16%0%0/425%1/4
Sophie Molineux MR25 recent T20s2313%23%9%4/474%2/47
Georgia Voll ST25 recent T20s2312%25%8%5/626%4/62
Deandra Dottin MR25 recent T20s233%11%4%3/728%6/72
  • 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

Melbourne Renegades predicted playing 11

PlayerExp. ptsLast 5 games
Sophie MolineuxcaptainAR · 25+ T20s23142620368
Hayley MatthewsoverseasAR · 25+ T20s321851143932
Georgia WarehamAR · 25+ T20s24626102733
Deandra DottinoverseasAR · 25+ T20s233236293521
Nicole FaltumWK · 25+ T20s17121821348
Tess FlintoffBOWL · 25+ T20s16619121325
Courtney WebbBAT · 25+ T20s1629011713
Milly IllingworthBOWL · 25+ T20s1516124336
Annie WikmanBAT · 4 T20s234381827
Tayla VlaeminckBOWL · 25+ T20s1620125014
Chloe TryonoverseasBAT · 25+ T20s15276-3839
Rest of the squad (3)
Sara KennedyBOWL · 12 T20s9100-232
Sophie ReidBAT · 25+ T20s1131361210
Olivia PorterBAT · 21 T20s732572

Sydney Thunder predicted playing 11

PlayerExp. ptsLast 5 games
Phoebe LitchfieldcaptainBAT · 25+ T20s22334164321
Georgia VollBAT · 25+ T20s23141453323
Laura HarrisBAT · 25+ T20s22612443620
Anika LearoydBAT · 25+ T20s211716318213
Heather KnightoverseasBAT · 25+ T20s18-34323119
Tahlia WilsonWK · 25+ T20s15128621
Samantha BatesBOWL · 25+ T20s15218627
Hannah DarlingtonBOWL · 25+ T20s192812-2435
Lauren BelloverseasBOWL · 25+ T20s1882414142
Nicola HancockBOWL · 25+ T20s162202531-6
Jemma BarsbyBOWL · 25+ T20s126220214
Rest of the squad (2)
Hasrat GillBAT · 4 T20s96-424
Lucy FinnRole 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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