That concludes our coverage for today. Thank you for joining us once again, and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow. This is Rashad Mahbub, signing off on behalf of M. Venkat Raghav. Adios!
Player of the Match, Joel Davies: "I think going back to back and knocking off the top-seeded Stars was a massive game for us. It gets us ahead of the middle of the ladder, which is pretty congested. I was surprised to get this [Award]. I think Dwarshuis deserved it with four wickets for not many runs, but I'll take it. [Bowling variation] I think I'm lucky enough to have worked with the GOAT SOK [Steve O'Keefe] for a long time. Trying to fill his void has been a big ask, but I've had more opportunity since he left. It has been awesome to be out there with the boys every game and just getting the ball more. [Smith, Starc and Murphy returning] Well, I think I might be out of the team, to be honest! Not after this, mate. I don't know, but it's going to be a star-studded lineup. There will be some tough decisions for Shippy to make, but getting those boys back is going to be unreal. Fingers crossed we can get Starcy at some point too. I think batting is a bit more fun for my liking. I don't like getting hit for sixes, but I enjoy hitting them. It's pretty satisfying taking wickets, but I definitely prefer batting."
10:23 pm A surface offering extra bounce made the modest chase more compelling than expected, but the visitors navigated it with poise to secure a comfortable victory. Moises Henriques signaled his intent early by taking 10 runs off the opening over of spin, but Peter Siddle hit back immediately. Siddle trapped the Sixers captain in front, and despite the ball seemingly missing the leg stump, Henriques opted not to review after a brief discussion with Babar Azam. Following the captain's departure, the Stars' seamers tightened the screws. Siddle was particularly impressive with the new ball, consistently beating the outside edge and challenging the batters' ribs. Josh Philippe eventually broke the shackles with a counterattacking burst to relieve the pressure, but Babar Azam struggled at the other end. Babar's laborious innings, which finished with a strike rate under 100, finally ended when he was also trapped LBW. Philippe's well struck innings of 35 concluded just before the drinks break when he miscued a Haris Rauf slower ball to long-on. Despite those wobbles, Lachlan Shaw and Jordan Silk played with composure, rotating the strike effectively and punishing the occasional loose delivery. A decisive 14-run Power Surge over effectively sealed the result for the Sixers. This third consecutive defeat will be a major concern for Marcus Stoinis and his team as they struggle to find answers at this critical stage of the season. Stay tuned for the post-match presentations.
Sydney Sixers won by 6 wickets