BBL 2025/26 | Match 35: Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat | Preview and Predictions

The Hobart Hurricanes will take on the Brisbane Heat in Match 35 of the 2025/26 KFC Big Bash League season at Bellerive Oval on January 14, 2026. 

The reigning champions have qualified for this season’s play-offs and sit at the top of the league table with 13 points in nine games. The Heat, however, have struggled for consistency and sit in fifth position with eight points from eight appearances.

Here, we present our preview and predictions for Match 35 of BBL|15.  

BBL|15 Match 35: Hurricanes vs Heat | 13:45 IST, January 14, 2026

The Hobart Hurricanes have been nearly impeccable so far this season, with six wins and just two losses in nine games taking them five points clear of teams outside the top four. Besides, the fact that they’ve been able to win games without their star batter Tim David, who was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury, will give them confidence heading into the final matches of the season. 

Hurricanes batters have chipped in with valuable contributions across most games. Mitchell Owen and Nikhil Chaudhary have provided strong openings, with Chaudhary controlling the pace as the top scorer, piling up 263 runs at a strike rate of 158. Ben McDermott has played a steady role throughout the campaign, posting 211 runs striking at 125, while Tim Ward has added 176 runs at a rate close to 140.

Their bowling department has been equally impressive as a unit. Skipper Nathan Ellis leads the wicket-takers’ list with 12 scalps, with newcomer Rishad Hossain close with 11 wickets. And while both Chris Jordan and Riley Meredith would like more wickets, they’ve done a wonderful job at the death by restricting teams to manageable scores. 

However, the same cannot be said about their opponents for this game. For the Brisbane Heat, it has been a stop-start campaign, with zero consecutive victories stopping the two-time BBL champions from building any sort of momentum.

The comeback of recent Test retiree Usman Khawaja gave the Heat a timely lift on Saturday and has kept their finals hopes alive. However, a weak net run rate means they’ll need to win both of their remaining games, the first of which is this demanding away assignment against the Hurricanes.

Their batting department has done well for the most part, barring two poor showings against the Adelaide Strikers and the Sydney Sixers. Matt Renshaw has been leading the run-scoring charge with 287 runs in eight outings. Both Jack Wildermuth (215 runs) and Max Bryant (188 runs) have been equally important for them, while Khawaja’s introduction and form will definitely give them a much-needed boost for these last two games of the league stage, as the left-hander smashed an impressive 78 from 48 balls on his return to show the influence he can still have in the twenty-over format.

In terms of bowling numbers, Xavier Bartlett tops their list with ten dismissals. Wildermuth is on nine wickets, while Tom Balkin and Matthew Kuhnemann share 13 wickets between them. The fact that the rest of the bowling attack has stepped up in recent weeks will also be a huge positive for the Heat going into the last two games.

In terms of the weather forecast and pitch report, there will be a light shower in the morning, after which conditions are expected to remain cloudy. This BBL season at Bellerive Oval, teams batting first have averaged scores between 180 and 190. That said, fielding first has become the go-to strategy for teams playing night T20s at this venue, so don’t be surprised if the captain winning the bat flip chooses to bowl and put the opposition under pressure.

Looking ahead to this fixture, the Hobart Hurricanes have locked in a knockout berth, though their washed-out previous match has left them at risk of dropping from the top position if the Melbourne Stars and the Perth Scorchers sweep their remaining fixtures. Hence, this is an important game for the Hurricanes. The Brisbane Heat, meanwhile, who have suffered from inconsistent form throughout the season, can be expected to have another tough night out on the road.

Fantasy XI: Mitchell Owen, Usman Khawaja (c), Ben McDermott, Nikhil Chaudhary, Matt Renshaw (vc), Max Bryant, Jack Wildermuth, Chris Jordan, Rishad Hossain, Xavier Bartlett, Billy Stanlake 

Venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart  
Winners Prediction: Hobart Hurricanes