BRISBANE: All-rounder Sam Curran and Steve Smith led Sydney Sixers to a five-wicket win over Brisbane Heat in the 40th match of the Big Bash League (PBL) 15 at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on Sunday to advance to the playoffs.
Brisbane Heat batted first and scored 171-9. Nathan McSweeney scored 69 off 54 balls with 8 fours while Michael Neser scored a blistering 35 off 14 balls including 5 fours and 2 sixes.
For the Sixers, Mitchell Starc was the outstanding bowler, taking 4-35 in four overs. Sam Curran took 2 wickets and Shaun Abbott and Joel Davies took one each.
Chasing 172 runs, Sydney Sixers reached the target by losing 5 wickets in 18.4 overs. Curran remained unbeaten on 53 off 27 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes.
Steve Smith scored 54 runs off 40 balls and captain Moises Henriques added 24 runs off 20 balls. However, Babar Azam was dismissed cheaply for one run in 7 balls.
Xavier Bartlett took two wickets for Brisbane, while Neser, Jack Wildermuth and Zaman Khan took one each.
With the win, the Sixers finished second in the BBL 15 points table with six wins, three losses and no draw from 10 matches.
Perth face the Scorchers in the first qualifier at the Optus Stadium on Tuesday.