WBBL 2020: Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder: Preview, probable XI, match prediction, live streaming, weather forecast and pitch report

Sydney Thunder will be up against Brisbane Heat in the second semi-final of WBBL 2020.

Defending WBBL champions Brisbane Heat take on the Sydney Thunder in the second semi-final of the 2020 Women's Big Bash League at the North Sydney Oval ground.

The Girls in Blue are coming into the all-important game on the back of six consecutive victories in the league stage of the tournament. With the momentum well and truly with them, they will look to book their place in the WBBL final for the third straight time.

However, they will be up against one of the most balanced sides in the tournament in Sydney Thunder. Led by Rachael Haynes, the Thunder boast a mix of exciting young talent and experienced international players.

WBBL 2020: Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder Match Details

Date: 26th November, 2020 (Thursday)

Time: 1:40 PM IST

Venue: North Sydney Oval, Sydney.

Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder: Weather Report

The average temperature at the ground during the day is expected to be around 24 degrees. However, for the WBBL game scheduled to take place in the evening, the temperature could drop down to around 20 degrees.

While a few games in WBBL 2020 were interrupted by rain, the forecast for the much-awaited second semi-final is all clear, and one could expect a full match of 40 overs.

Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder: Pitch Report

The wicket at the North Sydney Oval is known to be a batting paradise. The past few games in WBBL 2020 saw the batters dominate the bowling and score heaps of runs.

The pitch for this all-important WBBL clash could be no different. It is expected to be conducive to stroke-play, and fans from around the world could witness some big hitting from both teams.

Under the night sky, chasing down totals becomes relatively easy, and opting to bowl first could be the strategy deployed by the captain who wins the toss.

Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder Predicted XIs

Brisbane Heat:

Despite starting the WBBL season slowly, the reigning champions have been in sublime form in their last six games. The Girls in Blue, led by Jess Jonassen, have been playing fearless cricket that has yielded them massive dividends in the league phase of the competition.

The emergence of Laura Kimmince down the order has provided the Heat much-needed impetus at the back end of their innings. The right-handed batter has been one of the most powerful strikers of the ball in the WBBL season, with her exploits helping the Heat get over the line in some close games.

Predicted XI: Grace Harris, Georgia Redmayne (wk), Jess Jonassen (c), Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Amelia Kerr, Laura Kimmince Harris, Charli Knott, Georgia Prestwidge, Delissa Kimmince, Courtney Sippel.

Sydney Thunder:

One of the most astute cricketing brains in women's cricket, Rachael Haynes is at the helm of affairs at the Sydney Thunder. The vice-captain of the Australian Women's cricket team, Haynes has time and again proved to be one of the most successful leaders in the women's circuit.

The Sydney Thunder have a well-balanced unit and have been performing well in the past few games in the WBBL. They chased down a total of 116 runs in their last league game against the Hobart Hurricanes, doing so comfortably for the loss of only four wickets that has given their middle order much-needed confidence before the all-important semi-final against Brisbane Heat.

Thanks for your incredible support this season, #ThunderNation 💚Got a message for our @WBBL squad ahead of tomorrow night's semi-final? Share it below 👇 pic.twitter.com/JW6LydQt11
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) November 25, 2020

Expand Tweet

The team will not want to tinker with their winning combination and are expected to play with the same XI that took the field against the Hurricanes.

Predicted XI: Tammy Beaumont, Rachel Trenaman, Heather Knight, Rachael Haynes (C), Tahlia Wilson (WK), Lauren Smith, Pheobe Litchfield, Sammy Jo-Johnson, Hannah Darlington, Shabnim Ismail, Sam Bates.

Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder Match Prediction

The Sydney Thunder look like a formidable unit on paper and head into this WBBL game as the favourites.

The form of their international players, Heather Knight and Shabnim Ismail, has been top-notch. The experienced duo, along with the young upcoming talent - Pheobe Litchfield - could be key for the team against the Heat.

The Brisbane Heat, on the other hand, will be heavily reliant on their skipper Jess Jonassen and Laura Kimmince to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility and produce a match-winning performance.