Nineteen wins to seven: the Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder head to head has been firmly in the Sixers’ favour. The two clubs have met 29 times since 8 Jan 2012, and the rest of the ledger is one tie and two washouts.
The Sixers have also won the last two. On 16 Jan 2026 at the SCG they raced to 191/5 in 17.2 overs to win the chase, as Steve Smith made 100 off 42 balls and DA Warner’s 110* for the Thunder ended on the losing side.
Sixers vs Thunder Derby: A Lead Built Early
The Sixers won the first seven derbies, a run covering four seasons from 2011-12, before the Thunder finally won the single game of 2015-16. Between 2016-17 and 2020-21 the fixture was much closer, with five seasons in a row ending level or in the Thunder’s favour. That period included the Thunder’s 232/5 away from Sydney at the Adelaide Oval (22 Jan 2021), still the derby’s biggest total, built on AD Hales’s 110 off 56 balls.
Since 2021-22 the Sixers have pulled clear again. Three seasons in that stretch were clean sweeps, and they have lost only once, by 4 wickets on 24 Jan 2025.
Home turf has helped. The Sixers have won nine of the 14 games at the Sydney Cricket Ground and all four at Stadium Australia. The chasers lead the sides batting first 16-10, with first innings averaging 160.
Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder Head to Head in the BBL
| Matches | Sydney Sixers won | Sydney Thunder won | Tied | No result | First meeting | Latest meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 8 Jan 2012 | 16 Jan 2026 |
Sydney Derby Results by Season
| Season | Matches | Sydney Sixers won | Sydney Thunder won | Tied/NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015-16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014-15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013-14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012-13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011-12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Most Runs in Sixers vs Thunder Matches
| Batter | M | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC Henriques Sydney Sixers | 23 | 23 | 554 | 76* | 36.93 | 132.22 | 0 | 3 |
| DP Hughes Sydney Sixers | 14 | 14 | 460 | 66* | 46.00 | 131.05 | 0 | 5 |
| JR Philippe Sydney Sixers | 16 | 16 | 400 | 96 | 25.00 | 144.40 | 0 | 3 |
| JC Silk Sydney Sixers | 14 | 14 | 369 | 69* | 41.00 | 136.16 | 0 | 2 |
| NJ Maddinson Sydney Sixers | 11 | 11 | 332 | 70 | 33.20 | 126.24 | 0 | 3 |
| SPD Smith Sydney Sixers | 7 | 7 | 305 | 125* | 61.00 | 165.76 | 2 | 0 |
| AD Hales Sydney Thunder | 9 | 9 | 287 | 110 | 31.89 | 166.86 | 1 | 1 |
| DA Warner Sydney Thunder | 8 | 8 | 265 | 110* | 44.17 | 133.84 | 1 | 1 |
| UT Khawaja Sydney Thunder | 9 | 9 | 207 | 66* | 29.57 | 111.89 | 0 | 2 |
| CJ Green Sydney Thunder | 16 | 16 | 200 | 50 | 15.38 | 138.89 | 0 | 1 |
Most Wickets in Sixers vs Thunder Matches
| Bowler | M | Inns | Wkts | Best | Avg | Econ | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SA Abbott Sydney Sixers | 20 | 20 | 25 | 3/9 | 23.28 | 8.58 | 0 |
| BJ Dwarshuis Sydney Sixers | 19 | 19 | 20 | 3/38 | 23.80 | 7.68 | 0 |
| SNJ O’Keefe Sydney Sixers | 13 | 13 | 18 | 4/10 | 14.67 | 5.80 | 0 |
| DR Sams Sydney Thunder | 12 | 12 | 15 | 3/14 | 23.20 | 8.77 | 0 |
| Fawad Ahmed Sydney Thunder | 7 | 7 | 13 | 4/14 | 12.92 | 6.46 | 0 |
| J Edwards Sydney Sixers | 7 | 7 | 12 | 5/26 | 14.08 | 7.35 | 1 |
| CJ Green Sydney Thunder | 20 | 20 | 11 | 3/27 | 41.09 | 7.17 | 0 |
| N McAndrew Sydney Thunder | 14 | 14 | 10 | 2/17 | 43.00 | 10.66 | 0 |
| H Kerr Sydney Sixers | 7 | 7 | 9 | 3/29 | 19.56 | 8.45 | 0 |
| TK Curran Sydney Sixers | 4 | 4 | 8 | 3/24 | 11.12 | 6.59 | 0 |
Highest individual scores
| Batter | Score | Balls | 4s | 6s | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPD Smith Sydney Sixers | 125* | 66 | 5 | 9 | 21 Jan 2023 |
| AD Hales Sydney Thunder | 110 | 56 | 9 | 8 | 22 Jan 2021 |
| DA Warner Sydney Thunder | 110* | 65 | 11 | 4 | 16 Jan 2026 |
| SPD Smith Sydney Sixers | 100 | 42 | 5 | 9 | 16 Jan 2026 |
| JR Philippe Sydney Sixers | 96 | 57 | 6 | 4 | 20 Dec 2025 |
Best bowling figures
| Bowler | Figures | Overs | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| J Edwards Sydney Sixers | 5/26 | 4 | 20 Dec 2025 |
| SNJ O’Keefe Sydney Sixers | 4/10 | 3 | 21 Jan 2023 |
| Fawad Ahmed Sydney Thunder | 4/14 | 4 | 14 Jan 2017 |
| DR Sams Sydney Sixers | 4/14 | 4 | 19 Dec 2017 |
| SNJ O’Keefe Sydney Sixers | 4/18 | 4 | 15 Jan 2022 |
Highest Totals in the Sydney Derby
| Team | Total | Overs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Thunder | 232/5 | 20 | Sydney Sixers | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 22 Jan 2021 |
| Sydney Thunder | 202/5 | 20 | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 16 Jan 2016 |
| Sydney Sixers | 198/5 | 20 | Sydney Thunder | Sydney Showground Stadium | 20 Dec 2025 |
| Sydney Sixers | 197/5 | 20 | Sydney Thunder | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 15 Jan 2022 |
| Sydney Sixers | 191/5 | 17.2 | Sydney Thunder | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 16 Jan 2026 |
Lowest totals
| Team | Total | Overs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Thunder | 62 | 14.4 | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 21 Jan 2023 |
| Sydney Sixers | 76 | 15.5 | Sydney Thunder | Sydney Showground Stadium | 18 Jan 2020 |
| Sydney Thunder | 132 | 19.5 | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 12 Jan 2024 |
| Sydney Thunder | 142 | 15.1 | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Showground Stadium | 26 Dec 2021 |
| Sydney Thunder | 151 | 19.1 | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Showground Stadium | 20 Dec 2025 |
Biggest wins
| Result | Format | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Sixers won by 125 runs | T20 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 21 Jan 2023 |
| Sydney Sixers won by 60 runs | T20 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 15 Jan 2022 |
| Sydney Sixers won by 47 runs | T20 | Sydney Showground Stadium | 20 Dec 2025 |
| Sydney Sixers won by 9 wickets | T20 | Sydney Showground Stadium | 20 Dec 2016 |
| Sydney Sixers won by 8 wickets | T20 | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 25 Jan 2014 |
| Sydney Thunder won by 8 wickets | T20 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 14 Jan 2017 |
Most player of the match awards
| Player | Awards |
|---|---|
| SNJ O’Keefe Sydney Sixers | 3 |
| DP Hughes Sydney Sixers | 2 |
| SR Watson Sydney Thunder | 2 |
| SPD Smith Sydney Sixers | 2 |
| MA Starc Sydney Sixers | 1 |
| BJ Haddin Sydney Sixers | 1 |
Grounds where they have met most
| Ground | Matches | Sydney Sixers won | Sydney Thunder won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Cricket Ground | 14 | 9 | 3 |
| Sydney Showground Stadium | 9 | 5 | 3 |
| Stadium Australia, Sydney | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Manuka Oval | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Adelaide Oval | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Latest Sixers vs Thunder Results
| Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 2026 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Sydney Sixers won by 5 wickets |
| 20 Dec 2025 | Sydney Showground Stadium | Sydney Sixers won by 47 runs |
| 24 Jan 2025 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Sydney Thunder won by 4 wickets |
| 17 Jan 2025 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | No result |
| 21 Dec 2024 | Sydney Showground Stadium | Sydney Sixers won by 5 wickets |
| 12 Jan 2024 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Sydney Sixers won by 19 runs |
| 30 Dec 2023 | Sydney Showground Stadium | No result |
| 21 Jan 2023 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Sydney Sixers won by 125 runs |
| 8 Jan 2023 | Sydney Showground Stadium | Sydney Sixers won by 7 wickets |
| 15 Jan 2022 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Sydney Sixers won by 60 runs |
Smith, Henriques and the Leading Derby Players
MC Henriques sits top of the derby run list, 554 for the Sixers from 23 innings, with DP Hughes next on 460 at an average of 46.00. But Steve Smith (SPD Smith) has made the biggest mark in fewer games: 305 runs in seven innings, an average of 61.00 and both of the Sixers’ derby hundreds. His 125* from 66 balls (21 Jan 2023) is the derby’s highest score, and that day the Thunder crashed for 62 and lost by 125 runs, a margin never matched between them. SNJ O’Keefe took 4/10 in that game and leads the player of the match list with three awards.
SA Abbott of the Sixers has the most wickets, 25, and BJ Dwarshuis has 20. J Edwards has the derby’s lone five-wicket haul, 5/26 on 20 Dec 2025, while JR Philippe made 96 in a 47-run Sixers win. For the Thunder, DR Sams has 15 wickets and Fawad Ahmed 13 at 12.92.
See each club’s full BBL numbers on the Sydney Sixers records and Sydney Thunder records pages, or compare the Melbourne derby.
Questions about Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder
Sydney Sixers or Sydney Thunder: who has won more derbies?
The Sixers, comfortably: 19 wins to seven in 29 BBL meetings, plus a tie and two washouts.
Who won the last Sixers vs Thunder derby?
The Sixers won it by 5 wickets at the SCG on 16 Jan 2026, with Steve Smith reaching 100 from just 42 balls. It was their second straight derby win.
What is the highest score in Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder matches?
Steve Smith holds the batting record with 125* for the Sixers in Jan 2023. The Thunder hold the team record, 232/5 at Adelaide in Jan 2021.
What do past totals suggest for a Sixers vs Thunder pitch report?
Totals batting first average 160, a mark that has often been chased: 16 chasing wins against 10 for the side setting the target.
Which bowler leads the Sydney derby wicket list?
SA Abbott of the Sixers, with 25 at 23.28 apiece. BJ Dwarshuis follows on 20 and SNJ O’Keefe on 18.
Source: ball-by-ball match data from Cricsheet.org (ODC-BY). See how we compile these records.