Brisbane Heat welcome the Melbourne Stars to The Gabba on January 2 for Match 20 of BBL 2025-26. This one feels juicy. The Stars are on fire—top of the table, four wins from four, not a single loss yet. The Heat? It’s been rough. Sixth place, only two wins in five. Their last game was a bit of a train wreck: Adelaide Strikers thumped them by seven wickets on New Year’s Eve, with Chris Lynn rolling back the years for a brutal 79 off 41 balls.
If you look at the history books, the Heat have the upper hand. Thirteen wins to the Stars’ eight in their head-to-heads. But the current vibe? That’s all, Stars. They’ve taken nine of their last ten in the BBL and haven’t lost since they toppled the Heat at The Gabba on New Year’s Day last season. If the Heat wants to stop the Stars’ roll, they’ll need something pretty special.
Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Stars Match Preview
The Gabba rarely disappoints. It’s a paradise for batters—true bounce, good carry, and if you get your eye in, you can make some serious runs. Quick bowlers love it too, especially early on with the new ball. Spinners? Not so much—the wicket doesn’t give them much to work with. This season, The Gabba has served up some monster totals. Remember when the Heat chased 258 against the Scorchers? That’s the biggest chase in BBL history.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Stars |
| Date | 2nd January, 2026 |
| Time | 6:15 PM Local / 1:45 PM IST |
| Venue | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| Tournament | Big Bash League 2025-26 |
Pitch Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Fast and bouncy with true carry |
| Average Score | 160-180 runs (higher totals possible) |
| Favours | Pace bowlers early; batters once set |
| Surface | Extra bounce helps hit-the-deck bowlers |
| Wicket Distribution | Pacers dominate; spinners find limited help |
| Weather Impact | Possible light showers, humid conditions |
| Toss Factor | Chasing preferred |
Weather Report
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Around 25°C |
| Humidity | Around 75% |
| Wind Speed | Light breeze |
| Rain Chance | 30% chance of rain |
| Overall | Warm evening; possible light showers |
Toss Prediction
Usually, first innings scores here land somewhere between 160 and 180. But lately, teams have been racking up way more, so the pitch seems even better for batting. Whoever wins the toss will probably want a good look at the surface before making a call on batting or bowling first. Honestly, batting second at The Gabba is the way to go this season. The bounce helps big hitters clear the ropes, and if there’s any rain, the side bowling first gets a bit of an edge with the new ball. With all the high scores lately, chasing is tempting.
Injury Updates
Brisbane Heat: Shaheen Afridi has been ruled out for the rest of BBL 2025-26 due to a knee injury sustained while fielding against Adelaide Strikers. He’s returned to Pakistan for rehabilitation. Spencer Johnson and Callum Vidler remain unavailable due to back injuries. Nathan McSweeney missed the last two matches due to an ankle issue. Xavier Bartlett is expected to lead the side.
Melbourne Stars: No major injury concerns for the current match. Mark Steketee is out for the entire BBL season due to a hamstring injury sustained before the tournament. Jon Merlo and Joe Clarke may need assessment ahead of this game.
Dream11 Team For HEA vs STA
Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Stars Head-to-Head
Head-to-head, the Heat are up 13-8 after 21 meetings. They’ve beaten the Stars in four of their last five, but the Stars did win their most recent showdown here—by five wickets on New Year’s Day 2025, with Marcus Stoinis making a handy 62 off 48. The Stars won’t want back-to-back losses at The Gabba for the first time, so expect them to come out swinging.
Last Five Matches
- Stars won by 5 wickets (with 11 balls remaining) 01-Jan-2025
- Heat won by 8 wickets (with 11 balls remaining) 18-Dec-2024
- Heat won by 103 runs 07-Dec-2023
- Heat won by 4 runs 22-Jan-2023
- Heat won by 3 wickets (with 0 balls remaining) 16-Jan-2023
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Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Reason |
|---|---|
| Sam Harper (Captain) | Stars’ top scorer with 194 runs in 3 innings including a maiden BBL century (110*); averages 194.00 |
| Matt Renshaw (Vice Captain) | Heat’s top scorer with 202 runs at an average of 49.00; smashed 102 off 51 balls vs Scorchers |
| Jack Wildermuth | Heat’s top wicket-taker with 8 wickets; also scored 110* vs Scorchers in record chase |
| Haris Rauf | Pakistan speedster in excellent form; took 3/29 vs Thunder and 3/28 in earlier games. |
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