BBL Knockout, Renegades vs Heat: Preview, Key players, Probable XI and Prediction

Brisbane Heat are in sublime form [Source: Twitter]

On Sunday, Melbourne Renegades will cross swords against Brisbane Heat in the knockout game of the ongoing Big Bash League. The winner of this game will proceed to the challenger, while the loser will mark their exit from the tournament. 

Team Preview: Melbourne Renegades

Melbourne Renegades have had a proper roller-coaster ride in the tournament this season. After starting their campaign with three successive wins, they suffered four consecutive defeats that put their playoff qualification in jeopardy. 

However, they gained momentum just in time and won four of their next seven fixtures, finally making it into the knockout. 

Aaron Finch has led from the front, while Tom Rogers has emerged as a force with the ball. Although Shaun Marsh's comeback has certainly boosted their batting, the likes of Martin Guptill and Jon Wells must step up and convert their starts in this all-important face-off. 

Team Preview: Brisbane Heat

The journey of Brisbane Heat in the BBL 12 has been nothing short of inspirational. They managed only two wins in their first nine fixtures, but came back remarkably to seal a berth in the eliminator. 

Matt Renshaw, Jimmy Peirson and Sam Hain have been exceptional with the bat, while ace seamer Michael Neser has given sleepless nights to the opponent batters. 

But most importantly, skipper Usman Khawaja peaking just at the right time has revamped them into a formidable unit. 

Furthermore, the likes of James Bazley and Matthew Kuhnemann have played their part perfectly. In short, the Heat look really balanced heading to the encounter. 

Match Details

Date and Time: January 29, 01.45 PM IST
Venue: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Live Streaming: Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV App

Pitch Report: The surface of the Marvel Stadium will be on the drier side. The pace will be lesser than what Brisbane Heat usually get at the Gabba. However, there will be some spongy bounce on offer to encourage the fast bowlers. So, the track will demand patience from the batters to succeed at this venue. 

Probable XIs

Brisbane Heat: Josh Brown/Max Bryant, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Matt Renshaw, Sam Hain, Jimmy Peirson, James Bazley, Michael Neser, Spencer Johnson, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Kuhnemann

Melbourne Renegades: Martin Guptill, Shaun Marsh, Sam Harper, Aaron Finch, Matthew Critchley, Jon Wells, Will Sutherland, Tom Rogers, Corey Rocchiccioli, Kane Richardson, Fawad Ahmed

Key Players

• Jimmy Peirson - 324 Runs, Average: 27, Strike Rate: 118.68
• Aaron Finch - 418 Runs, Average: 41.80, Strike Rate: 122.58
• Michael Neser - 22 Wickets, Average: 18, Strike Rate: 12.7
• Tom Rogers - 21 Wickets, Average: 20.38, Strike Rate: 14.8
• James Bazley - 16 Wickets, Average: 18.18, Strike Rate: 14

Prediction

Brisbane Heat have been absolutely ruthless of late and will likely emerge victorious in this match. 

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