Brisbane Heat have had a mixed season, with three wins and four defeats leaving them around sixth. Three league games remain and the standings are tight, so two wins could be enough to stay in the race. They get a timely lift as Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja return to the squad, with Khawaja replacing Nathan McSweeney as captain.
Matt Renshaw has carried much of the batting, scoring 245 runs in seven matches at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 157. Max Bryant has added 182 at 154, Jack Wildermuth 176 and Hugh Weibgen 131. Wildermuth also leads the wicket tally with nine, albeit at an economy of 10.04, and Xavier Bartlett and Matthew Kuhnemann have shared 16 wickets. Pakistan quick Zaman Khan has come in as cover for the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Sydney Thunder have won only one of seven and sit at the bottom with a net run rate of -1.255, so they must win all three remaining games to stay alive. Matthew Gilkes has scored 208 at a strike rate of 166.40, Sam Billings and Sam Konstas have both passed 120, and David Warner’s late surge makes him a danger. Daniel Sams has taken 11 wickets, though expensively at 10.14 an over, and Wes Agar has stepped in after Shadab Khan became unavailable.