As Sydney prepares to take on the Sixers, the stage is set for a historic encounter at Optus Stadium. Perth Scorchers in the year BBL|15 Final this Sunday, January 25, 2026. This is the sixth time these two titans have met in the championship game, cementing the fiercest rivalry yet. The Big Bash date. After a rollercoaster season, the Sixers secured their spot by being dismantled The Hobart Hurricanes In the Challenger, however, the story of their campaign is clearly divided into two distinct periods: the sustained hard work of the early weeks and the “Smith factor” that redefines their charge of the final season.
The foundation, grit and grind of the Sydney Sixers form ahead of Steve Smith in BBL|15
In the early stages of BBL|15, Sydney Sixers relied heavily on their veteran leadership and finding a way to win mentality. Without international stars for most of the regular season, the captain Moises Henriques and bowling trio Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuisand Jack Edwards carried the burden.
The team’s form was characterized by clinical bowling and opportunistic batting. They stayed in contention, nearing the top of the table, but often lacked the explosive X-factor at the top of the order. During this period, the Sixers relied on his contributions Josh Philippe and Pakistan’s brilliance at times Babar Azamwho provide consistency but sometimes struggle to provide the high-tempo starts needed in the modern T20 game. While the Sixers managed to win five of their first eight games, their victories were often hard-fought, lower-scoring affairs that tested the depth of their middle order.
The Smith masterclass: BBL|15 Transformation on the run to the final
The arrival of Steve Smith, fresh off T20 leave and playing with a score to prove, transformed the Sixers from contenders to witches. Since returning to the side at the end of the season, Smith has been in red-hot form, averaging an astonishing 69.00 in five matches and hundreds in the match. Sydney Thunders.
His impact was immediate, providing the tactical aggression and stability the team lacked. Although Smith’s 37 was the only resistance from a dismal team total of 99, the Sixers stumbled in the Qualifiers against a ferocious Perth attack, but he quickly got the side back in the Challenger. His magnificent 43-ball 65 against the Hurricanes took the Sixers to 198 and knocked Hobart out of the competition.
Since Smith’s arrival, the Sixers’ hitting philosophy has changed; they no longer want to “survive” in the power game, but to dominate it. merged with Mitchell StarcThe “Smith-led” Sixers now have the psychological edge after returning to their bowling attack. Heading back to Perth for the final, the equation for the Scorchers is simple but daunting: drop Smith early or watch the BBL trophy return to Sydney on the back of another masterclass.
Also WATCH: Beau Webster launches a mammoth 105m 6 as Brisbane Heat cruise past Hobart Hurricanes in BBL|15.
