The left arm that changes the attack
Every good T20 attack needs a left-armer, and Dwarshuis is the Sixers' one. Bowling from over the wicket to right-handers, he takes the ball across them and into the pads; bowling to left-handers, he brings it back in. It is a different problem from Abbott's right-arm pace, and batters who have just faced one have to reset for the other.
His best work comes with the new ball, where his swing and his bounce make him a wicket-taker rather than a container. He has also bowled at the death for the Sixers, where his yorker and his slower ball have closed out tight games. Left-armers who can do both jobs are rare in the Big Bash, which is why the Sixers tied him down for two more seasons.
With the bat he is a genuine lower-order hitter — left-handed, clean through the ball, and capable of the kind of cameo that turns 150 into 170.
New South Wales, Australia, and the Sixers
Dwarshuis has played one-day and T20 international cricket for Australia, and he has been a Sixers regular for years. His domestic base is New South Wales, where he has been a first-choice white-ball bowler for most of a decade.
The international experience shows in his temperament. He has bowled in big games for Australia and in finals for the Sixers, and he does not go missing when the pressure comes. Last season's final — bowled out for 132, beaten twice by Perth — was a team failure, not a bowling one, and the attack Dwarshuis leads with Abbott was the reason the Sixers got there at all.
For BBL|16 he is part of a pace group that has been refreshed around him: Fergus O'Neill arrives from the Renegades, Hayden Kerr and Jack Edwards offer all-round seam, and the spinners give the attack its middle-overs shape.
What the final taught the attack
The Sixers finished second in the league stage last season, six wins from ten and 13 points, then lost to Perth in the Qualifier by 48 runs and in the final by six wickets. The batting failed in the final; the bowling had kept them in games all season.
Dwarshuis's job in BBL|16 is the same as ever — take wickets with the new ball so the middle order is batting under pressure, not setting its own pace. If he and Abbott strike early, the Sixers' spinners can attack; if they don't, the side chases games. That is the weight a new-ball pair carries, and the Sixers have trusted this one for years.
The opener at The Gabba is a good first test: Brisbane's batting is aggressive at home, and a left-armer who swings the new ball is exactly the weapon for it.
What's next for Dwarshuis
The season opens away at Brisbane, then the Sydney Smash, then the first home game at the SCG. The full list of every BBL fixture is on the BBL Schedule.
- Match 2 — Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers: Tuesday 15 December 2026, 1:45 PM IST (1:15 PM PKT), The Gabba, Brisbane.
- Match 6 — Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers: Saturday 19 December 2026, 1:45 PM IST (1:15 PM PKT), Sydney Showground Stadium.
- Match 9 — Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Renegades: Tuesday 22 December 2026, 1:45 PM IST (1:15 PM PKT), Sydney Cricket Ground.
Follow every BBL result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of bowler is Ben Dwarshuis?
A left-arm fast-medium bowler who shares the new ball for the Sydney Sixers, and a left-handed lower-order batter.
Has Ben Dwarshuis played for Australia?
Yes — he has played one-day and T20 international cricket for Australia, and plays domestic cricket for New South Wales.
When do the Sixers play first in BBL|16?
Match 2, against Brisbane Heat at The Gabba on Tuesday 15 December 2026, starting at 1:45 PM IST.