Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder, Friday, 15 January 2027 — 1:45 PM IST (1:15 PM PKT, 08:15 UTC, 7:15 PM AEDT local), Sydney Cricket Ground
Match 36 of the Big Bash League 2026-27 season is Sydney Sixers against Sydney Thunder on Friday, 15 January 2027, at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The first ball is at 1:45 PM IST (1:15 PM PKT, 08:15 UTC, 7:15 PM AEDT local time), and it is the fourth match of the season at the SCG.
The Sydney derby always matters more than the two points. The Sixers are the city’s most successful BBL club with three titles; the Thunder have one, from 2015-16, and a new head coach in Andrew Flintoff who has rebuilt the side around pace. A Friday night at the SCG, two clubs who share a city and little else, and a finals race that will be decided in the days after this match — the derby has rarely had this much riding on it.
How both sides arrive in BBL|16
Pre-season — the season starts on Saturday 12 December 2026, so there is no BBL|16 form yet. This is what the Sixers and the Thunder carry into the season.
| Team | Captain | Coach | BBL titles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Sixers | TBC | Matthew Mott | 2011-12, 2019-20, 2020-21 |
| Sydney Thunder | TBC (David Warner captained last season) | Andrew Flintoff | 2015-16 |
The Sixers were runners-up in BBL|15, beaten by six wickets in the final by Perth, and they start this season with that defeat still fresh. Their captain for BBL|16 is still to be confirmed, and Matthew Mott coaches the side. Three titles — 2011-12, 2019-20 and 2020-21 — make them the most decorated club in Sydney, and the aim this season is to go one better than last.
Thunder begin a fresh start under new head coach Andrew Flintoff, rebuilt around pace with Trent Boult leading the attack. David Warner returns after captaining the side last season, and the BBL|16 captaincy is still to be confirmed. Their one title came in 2015-16, a long time ago in T20 terms, and Flintoff’s rebuild is the club’s attempt to close the gap on their city rivals.
Two points, and the finals race
A win is worth two points, and a no-result is worth one. Ten league games each stand between the sides and the finals.
With only four league matches left after this one, a derby win does double work: two points on the board and a direct blow to a rival chasing the same finals places.
For the Sixers, the stakes are about staying in the top two. A home win keeps the Qualifier in their sights; a home defeat to the Thunder would let the chasing pack in. For Thunder, a win at the SCG would be the statement of Flintoff’s rebuild — proof that the new side can beat the best team in their own city, in front of their own crowd.
The players who can decide it
These are the four names that can decide it — each links through to a profile.
Steve Smith is the Sixers batter whose wicket the Thunder will want early. As a batter with a record of building big innings in this league, he sets the tempo of the Sixers’ batting, and a long Smith innings at the SCG usually ends with a total the opposition struggle to chase.
Josh Philippe keeps wicket for the Sixers and opens the batting, so his first ten balls often decide the shape of the innings. A fast start from Philippe puts the Thunder’s new-look pace attack under pressure from the start, and his keeping is just as sharp behind the stumps.
David Warner returns for Thunder after captaining the side last season. As a batter, his record at the top of the order speaks for itself, and in a derby he is the player the SCG crowd will watch most closely. If Warner gets going, the Sixers’ bowlers will have nowhere to hide.
Sam Konstas is the young Thunder batter whose rise has been one of the stories of Australian cricket. In a derby, against a Sixers attack that knows the SCG better than anyone, his innings will show how far the rebuild has come — and how far it still has to go.
Match information
| Ground | Sydney Cricket Ground |
| Series | Big Bash League |
| Season | 2026-27, BBL|16 |
| Match Days | Friday, 15 January 2027 |
| Start | 1:45 PM IST (1:15 PM PKT, 08:15 UTC, 7:15 PM AEDT local) |
| Points | Winner 2, loser 0 |
Match yet to begin — the scorecard will appear on this page after the match. The SCG hosts four matches this season.
Frequently asked questions
When does Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder start?
Match 36 is played on Friday, 15 January 2027 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The first ball is at 1:45 PM IST, which is 1:15 PM PKT, 08:15 UTC and 7:15 PM AEDT local time. It is the fourth match of the season at the SCG, and the Sydney derby is one of the biggest nights on the BBL calendar.
Who has won more BBL titles, Sixers or Thunder?
The Sixers, by three to one. Sydney Sixers have won three BBL titles, in 2011-12, 2019-20 and 2020-21, and were runners-up in BBL|15. Sydney Thunder have one title, from 2015-16. The Thunder are rebuilding under new head coach Andrew Flintoff, with Trent Boult leading a pace attack.
Who captains each side in Match 36?
Both captaincies for BBL|16 are still to be confirmed. The Sixers are coached by Matthew Mott, and the Thunder by Andrew Flintoff. David Warner returns for Thunder after captaining the side last season, and both clubs will confirm their captains before the season starts on 12 December.
Who are the players to watch in Match 36?
Steve Smith and Josh Philippe for the Sixers, and David Warner and Sam Konstas for the Thunder. Smith and Philippe set the Sixers’ tempo at the top of the order, while Warner is Thunder’s most proven batter and Konstas is the young batter carrying the rebuild’s hopes.