Melbourne Stars aim to extend their unbeaten run in the Big Bash League 2025-26 when they face Sydney Thunder in the 14th match at Manuka Oval, Canberra, on Sunday. Stars top the points table with three wins from three games and a strong net run rate of +1.383, while Thunder sit fifth with one win and two losses from three outings.
Melbourne Stars have won all three matches so far, including a recent six-wicket victory over Adelaide Strikers and a thumping win against Sydney Sixers, with Sam Harper scoring a century in the latter. Sydney Thunder struggled with batting in losses to Hobart Hurricanes and Brisbane Heat but showed promise from Shadab Khan and bowlers like Reece Topley and Nathan McAndrew.
MS vs ST, BBL|15: Match details
- Date and Time: December 28 (Sunday); 1:45 pm IST / 8:15 am GMT / 7:15 pm Local
- Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra
MS vs ST, Head-to-Head Record in BBL
Matches played: 22 | Melbourne Stars won: 10 | Sydney Thunder won: 12 | No result/Tied: 0
Manuka Oval Pitch Report
Manuka Oval in Canberra delivers a batters-friendly surface with true bounce and good carry, ideal for strokeplay in Big Bash League encounters. The pitch typically supports high-scoring games, with first innings averages around 149 runs across 21 T20s, though it slows slightly under lights, aiding spinners in the latter stages. Chasing teams hold a slight edge (9 wins vs 9 batting first, with ties), making toss decisions pivotal – captains often opt to bat first. Expect quick outfield and short boundaries to favour aggressive batting, but pacers like Rauf and Topley can exploit early movement.
Squads:
Melbourne Stars: Thomas Fraser Rogers, Joe Clarke, Sam Harper (wk), Marcus Stoinis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright, Tom Curran, Liam Hatcher, Haris Rauf, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Swepson, Aryan Sharma, Jonathan Merlo, Campbell Kellaway
Sydney Thunder: Sam Konstas, Matthew Gilkes, David Warner (c), Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings (wk), Shadab Khan, Daniel Sams, Chris Green, Nathan McAndrew, Tanveer Sangha, Reece Topley, Ryan Hadley, Blake Nikitaras, Aidan O Connor
Also READ: Sam Harper’s explosive ton powers Melbourne Stars to a dominant win over Sydney Sixers in BBL|15
MS vs ST, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Melbourne Stars wins the toss and bats first
- Melbourne Stars’ powerplay score: 50-60
- Melbourne Stars’ total score: 180-190
Case 2:
- Sydney Thunder wins the toss and bats first
- Sydney Thunder’s powerplay score: 40-50
- Sydney Thunder’s total score: 160-170
Match result: Team batting first to win the contest.
Also WATCH: Tom Curran knocks over Jason Sangha’s stumps with an absolute ripper in BBL|15
