The 15th edition of the Big Bash League has come down to the two teams who have appeared in more BBL finals than any other in history. Once again, it’s the Perth Scorchers taking on the Sydney Sixers with the BBL15 winner to be decided on Sunday night.
The Scorchers have been consistently strong this season with some formidable batting and crafty bowling, while the Sixers have benefitted enormously by the return of international superstars Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc to help them surge into the final.
Check out our BBL15 betting preview for the Scorchers vs Sixers here.
When they met in The Qualifier it was the Scorchers who were able to defend a modest total after the Sixers’ batting capitulated. What will be the game script this time around?
Draftstars have put up a healthy $25,000 prize pool for The Final with almost $2,500 for our winner. There’s also a great range of other contests available including High Roller, Mini, Micro and Single Entry contests, so there really is something for everyone.
We’ll also crown a champion in our 2026 Big Bash Star Final where 40 qualifiers will compete for a share of a $60,000 prize pool with $10,000 up for grabs for the champion. You can bet on who you think will be the BBL Star Champion over at PlayUp.
Let’s take a look at the slate and figure out who the locks, fades and value are for the match!
The big question on this slate is do you fade Steve Smith. It’s a risk as he’s been so consistent but at $22,000 and the Scorchers favourites, it’s a good spot to take him on and use the salary relief to find better value elsewhere.
A lot of your strategy will depend on what sort of pitch is presented and who gets first use of it, so be prepared to adjust your teams late just after the toss. Bat has dominated the ball throughout the BBL, and I expect the Scorchers will be happy to see a fast wicket that allows plenty of scoring to suit their strong batting lineup.
Love it - Cooper Connolly ($18,500)
I much prefer to pick Cooper Connolly as my premium over Steve Smith as he’s a multi-faceted player. He hasn’t even set the world on fire with the bat recently, following two half-centuries early in the tournament, but it’s his bowling which has been racking up fantasy points on Draftstars. Often opening the bowling with his crafty spin, Connolly has been effective with his change of pace to keep things tight and pick up a few wickets. If he can make a few runs then it’s a bonus. Lock him in!
Love it - Mahli Beardman ($11,500)
The young speedster has risen to prominence this BBL15 season with his pace troubling most batsmen. He’s still inconsistent but it doesn’t matter what the surface is doing, his pace is going to create headaches. He’s picked up 8 wickets in his last four games which is good scoring, but at a bargain price, he doesn’t have to do too much to hit value for us.
Don’t Love - Mitchell Starc ($17,500)
Starc is a world-class bowler but at this price, he needs a bag of wickets to hit value. He’s batting at number 11 so unlikely to score runs, and he’s largely hidden in the field. I much prefer taking any of the all-rounders that are around the same price for a higher floor and higher ceiling.
Who Knows - Steve Smith ($22,000)
I find it really hard to get to Steve Smith at this price. Sure, he could just reel off another hundred and my teams are dead in the water. He is just making runs for fun at the moment, so it makes sense. But I think it’s a spot where you can take him on, hope he gets out cheap, and use the salary relief somewhere else. Smudge loves proving the doubters wrong though!
Who Knows - Finn Allen ($17,300)
Finn Allen has had an excellent BBL15 season and his recent fantasy scoring of 73, 197.5, 127.5 and 81.5 in his last four matches has been very strong and consistent. However he brings a very high-risk approach to batting and he’s going to have to contend with the world’s best white-ball bowler in Mitchell Starc. It’s not going to be easy for him to navigate those first few overs. If he does, then another big score beckons, but it might not be a bad spot to take him on and hope he fails.
