Sydney Sixers defeat Melbourne Stars by 1 wicket as Glenn Maxwell concedes 20 runs in the last over
Sydney Sixers took on the Melbourne Stars in the second BBL encounter of the day. The heavyweight clash lived up to its billing as Sixers produced a remarkable chase to win the game by one wicket. Batting first, Melbourne Stars put 193 runs on the board, but Daniel Hughes (96 off 51) led Sixers to an improbable win.
BBL 2020-21: Daniel Hughes plays an innings of a lifetime
Chasing 194 for the win, opener Jack Edwards was dismissed in the third ball of Sixers' innings for a duck. Coming in at no.3, England international James Vince also failed to trouble the scorers as he too was gone for naught in the second over.
Captain Daniel Hughes and Josh Philippe (22 off 19) did some repairing job, but leg spinner Adam Zampa broke that partnership by dismissing Philippe in the 8th over. However, their captain kept them in the game as the Sixers managed to reach 83-3 after ten overs.
Hughes managed to reach his fifty, but he didn't get enough support from the other end. Jordan Silk (9) and Dan Christian (14) got some start but were dismissed soon. After 15 overs, the Sixers were 128-6 needing 66 runs in the last five overs to win this BBL tie.
Carlos Brathwaite (21 off 12) showcased his calypso power as he went big and scored some quick runs.
The game turned when Hughes smashed Adam Zampa for 20 runs in the 18th over, and the equation became gettable with Sixers needing 23 off two overs. Liam Hatcher though conceded just 3 in the 19th over and took the wicket off Brathwaite.
Nathan Coulter-Nile was expected to bowl the last over, but he wasn't on the field because of an injury. Glenn Maxwell had the task of defending 20 runs against Hughes. The left-hander scored 16 runs in the first three balls but was caught at the boundary leaving Sixers with just a wicket in hand. However, they managed a boundary with a leg bye on the next ball and won this exciting BBL game by one wicket.
BBL 2020-21:Pooran and Maxwell show propels the Stars to 193-5
Earlier, the Sixers won the BBL bat flip and decided to bowl. The Melbourne based outfit got off to a poor start as West Indies import Andre Fletcher was dismissed for 4. Ben Dunk and Hilton Cartwright steadied the ship, but they failed to up the ante in the powerplay overs. The Stars meandered to 64-4 after 11 overs, and that is when the carnage ensued.
Captain Glenn Maxwell along with Nicholas Pooran got together and unleashed an attack on the Sixers bowlers. The duo set up a 125 run stand as they took their team's score to 193-5 which looked improbable at one point.
Pooran was dismissed in the 18th over by Sandhu, but we saw some of the cleanest striking of the cricket ball in the ongoing BBL season. The West Indies star smashed eight sixes en route to his 65 off just 26 deliveries. Maxwell remained unbeaten in the end at 71 which he managed in 47 balls.
However, as it turned out, Pooran and Maxwell's innings went in vain as the Sixers clinched a narrow victory in the end.
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