BBL 2019-20: Match 49, Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers – Smith's first game in six years, Sixers' unbeaten streak at Gabba, ABD's T20 record in Australia and more stats

A slow track at the Gabba overshadowed the inclusion of the ODI stars as Sydney Sixers recorded a big win over against the Brisbane Heat. AB de Villiers (25) and James Pattinson (27*) were the only players to cross 20-run mark for the Brisbane who were limited to just 126/8. The Sixers’ opening pair of Josh Phillipe and James Vince scored the fifties as the Sixers completed the chase with 25 balls and 8 wickets to spare. Steve Smith, playing his first BBL game in six years, took three catches and got out scoring nine runs.

All the statistical highlights from Sydney Sixers’ 8-wicket win over the Brisbane Heat:

Sixers’ unbeaten streak at the Gabba:

0 – Sydney Sixers have not lost a BBL match at the Gabba in Brisbane. They featured in six matches at this venue and won five of them including the one on Friday. Another game in 2016-17 season ended in a Tie which was won by Sixers in the Super Over.

9-2 – The Sixers have lost only two of their ten matches in the Big Bash League against the Brisbane Heat. This season’s match at the SCG was only the 2nd win for the Heat over the Sixers. Other win came in the 2015-16 season by six runs also at the SCG.

Another low total for the Heat at home:

126/8 – Brisbane Heat’s total of 126/8 is their lowest first-innings total in the BBL at the Gabba. Their previous lowest 1st innings BBL total was 127/9 also against the Sixers in the 2012-13 season. In the last game against Renegades, the Heat were bundled out for 120, their lowest total at this venue.

253 – The 253 runs scored by both the teams in this match are the 2nd fewest in a Big Bash League match at the Gabba (Unaffected matches). The previous week game played here between Heat and Strikers aggregated only 224 runs; the fewest in a BBL match at this venue.

Smith returns to BBL:

6y 5d – Steve Smith featured in a Big Bash League game for the first time in nearly 6 years. His last BBL appearance came way back in January 2014 which was 6 years and 5 days ago. The previous longest gap between two appearances was of Josh Hazlewood who recently played for the Sixers after 5 years and 334 days.

3 – Smith claimed three catches on the field; the most for him in a Big Bash League match. The three catches are also the most by a fielder for the Sydney Sixers in a BBL game.

AB de Villiers’ six-less streak in Australia:

13.8 – Across five Twenty20 matches in Australia, AB de Villiers has aggregated only 69 runs at an average of 13.8. De Villiers faced 67 balls in T20s in Australia and managed to hit five fours but is yet to hit a six. His 40-run knock on BBL debut is his highest score thus far in Australia.