Fifteen all out in 5.5 overs: the scorecard of 16 Dec 2022 dominates any reading of the Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers head to head. That day the Strikers won by 124 runs, and overall they lead 13 wins to 10 from 25 BBL meetings, with 2 no results.
The series began on 23 Dec 2011 and the most recent game, on 6 Jan 2026 in Adelaide, went the Strikers’ way by 6 runs. These Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder stats cover every match in between.
Strikers vs Thunder: the run of results
The early years were patchy, with a single game most seasons. The Thunder won both meetings in 2015-16, two in 2019-20 with the third washed out, and two of three in 2021-22. Then the Strikers took over, winning five in a row from 23 Jan 2022 to 14 Jan 2024. The Thunder broke that run with a 2-wicket win in Canberra on 17 Dec 2024, before the Strikers won again in Jan 2026.
Unlike many T20 rivalries, this one has rewarded the side batting first, 15 wins to 8. Opening innings average 165.
One of the exceptions came on 19 Dec 2023, when the Thunder made 200/7 at the Adelaide Oval and the Strikers chased it down with 205/4, the highest total between them. Almost half the games, 12 of 25, have been played at the Adelaide Oval, with the Strikers ahead 6 to 5 there. At Sydney Showground Stadium it is 3 each.
Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers Head to Head in the BBL
| Matches | Sydney Thunder won | Adelaide Strikers won | Tied | No result | First meeting | Latest meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 23 Dec 2011 | 6 Jan 2026 |
Strikers vs Thunder Results by Season
| Season | Matches | Sydney Thunder won | Adelaide Strikers won | Tied/NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015-16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014-15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013-14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012-13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011-12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Most Runs in Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder Matches
| Batter | M | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J Weatherald Adelaide Strikers | 16 | 16 | 411 | 80* | 29.36 | 138.85 | 0 | 2 |
| MW Short Adelaide Strikers | 14 | 14 | 343 | 82 | 26.38 | 142.92 | 0 | 3 |
| AD Hales Sydney Thunder | 10 | 10 | 285 | 68 | 35.62 | 143.94 | 0 | 3 |
| AT Carey Adelaide Strikers | 10 | 10 | 283 | 59 | 31.44 | 127.48 | 0 | 1 |
| UT Khawaja Sydney Thunder | 8 | 8 | 256 | 104* | 36.57 | 136.17 | 1 | 1 |
| JW Wells Adelaide Strikers | 11 | 11 | 236 | 55* | 26.22 | 122.92 | 0 | 1 |
| CJ Ferguson Sydney Thunder | 8 | 8 | 225 | 73 | 37.50 | 133.14 | 0 | 1 |
| JJS Sangha Sydney Thunder | 6 | 6 | 190 | 91* | 38.00 | 135.71 | 0 | 2 |
| CA Ingram Adelaide Strikers | 4 | 4 | 186 | 75 | 46.50 | 156.30 | 0 | 1 |
| SR Watson Sydney Thunder | 7 | 7 | 181 | 68 | 25.86 | 127.46 | 0 | 1 |
Most Wickets in Thunder vs Strikers Matches
| Bowler | M | Inns | Wkts | Best | Avg | Econ | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM Siddle Adelaide Strikers | 12 | 12 | 19 | 3/20 | 16.42 | 7.23 | 0 |
| DR Sams Sydney Thunder | 14 | 14 | 19 | 4/33 | 21.74 | 8.32 | 0 |
| Rashid Khan Adelaide Strikers | 10 | 10 | 12 | 2/21 | 20.50 | 6.77 | 0 |
| MG Neser Adelaide Strikers | 10 | 10 | 11 | 3/24 | 19.64 | 6.55 | 0 |
| J Overton Adelaide Strikers | 4 | 4 | 10 | 3/25 | 10.80 | 7.20 | 0 |
| HTRY Thornton Adelaide Strikers | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5/3 | 12.10 | 7.64 | 1 |
| GS Sandhu Sydney Thunder | 9 | 9 | 10 | 2/28 | 18.80 | 6.80 | 0 |
| B Laughlin Adelaide Strikers | 7 | 7 | 9 | 4/26 | 20.89 | 8.48 | 0 |
| WA Agar Adelaide Strikers | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4/6 | 28.78 | 9.96 | 0 |
| AJ Nair Sydney Thunder | 9 | 9 | 8 | 3/12 | 20.25 | 7.04 | 0 |
Highest individual scores
| Batter | Score | Balls | 4s | 6s | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT Khawaja Sydney Thunder | 104* | 59 | 13 | 3 | 21 Jan 2016 |
| CH Gayle Sydney Thunder | 100* | 54 | 3 | 11 | 23 Dec 2011 |
| M Gilkes Sydney Thunder | 93 | 57 | 9 | 3 | 2 Jan 2022 |
| JJS Sangha Sydney Thunder | 91* | 55 | 6 | 6 | 31 Dec 2021 |
| MEK Hussey Sydney Thunder | 85 | 56 | 5 | 4 | 27 Dec 2013 |
Best bowling figures
| Bowler | Figures | Overs | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| IS Sodhi Adelaide Strikers | 6/11 | 3.3 | 18 Jan 2017 |
| HTRY Thornton Adelaide Strikers | 5/3 | 2.5 | 16 Dec 2022 |
| WA Agar Adelaide Strikers | 4/6 | 2 | 16 Dec 2022 |
| DP Nannes Sydney Thunder | 4/17 | 4 | 20 Dec 2012 |
| L Pope Adelaide Strikers | 4/22 | 3 | 14 Jan 2024 |
Highest team totals
| Team | Total | Overs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide Strikers | 205/4 | 19.4 | Sydney Thunder | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 19 Dec 2023 |
| Sydney Thunder | 200/7 | 20 | Adelaide Strikers | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 19 Dec 2023 |
| Sydney Thunder | 187/3 | 20 | Adelaide Strikers | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 31 Dec 2021 |
| Adelaide Strikers | 184/6 | 20 | Sydney Thunder | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 23 Jan 2022 |
| Sydney Thunder | 183/8 | 19.4 | Adelaide Strikers | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 17 Dec 2024 |
Lowest Totals, Including the Thunder's 15 All Out
| Team | Total | Overs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Thunder | 15 | 5.5 | Adelaide Strikers | Sydney Showground Stadium | 16 Dec 2022 |
| Adelaide Strikers | 97 | 17.4 | Sydney Thunder | Sydney Showground Stadium | 13 Jan 2019 |
| Sydney Thunder | 101 | 15.3 | Adelaide Strikers | Sydney Showground Stadium | 18 Jan 2017 |
| Sydney Thunder | 110 | 17.4 | Adelaide Strikers | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 22 Dec 2017 |
| Sydney Thunder | 126 | 18.4 | Adelaide Strikers | Stadium Australia, Sydney | 20 Dec 2012 |
Biggest wins
| Result | Format | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide Strikers won by 124 runs | T20 | Sydney Showground Stadium | 16 Dec 2022 |
| Adelaide Strikers won by 77 runs | T20 | Sydney Showground Stadium | 18 Jan 2017 |
| Sydney Thunder won by 71 runs | T20 | Sydney Showground Stadium | 13 Jan 2019 |
| Sydney Thunder won by 9 wickets | T20 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 25 Jan 2021 |
| Adelaide Strikers won by 9 wickets | T20 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 14 Jan 2024 |
| Sydney Thunder won by 8 wickets | T20 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 21 Jan 2016 |
Most player of the match awards
| Player | Awards |
|---|---|
| Rashid Khan Adelaide Strikers | 2 |
| PM Siddle Adelaide Strikers | 2 |
| AD Hales Sydney Thunder | 2 |
| MW Short Adelaide Strikers | 2 |
| CH Gayle Sydney Thunder | 1 |
| KW Richardson Adelaide Strikers | 1 |
Grounds where they have met most
| Ground | Matches | Sydney Thunder won | Adelaide Strikers won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide Oval | 12 | 5 | 6 |
| Sydney Showground Stadium | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Stadium Australia, Sydney | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Manuka Oval | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Melbourne Cricket Ground | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Latest Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder Results
| Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Jan 2026 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Adelaide Strikers won by 6 runs |
| 17 Dec 2024 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | Sydney Thunder won by 2 wickets |
| 14 Jan 2024 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | Adelaide Strikers won by 9 wickets |
| 19 Dec 2023 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Adelaide Strikers won by 6 wickets |
| 20 Dec 2022 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Adelaide Strikers won by 6 wickets |
| 16 Dec 2022 | Sydney Showground Stadium | Adelaide Strikers won by 124 runs |
| 23 Jan 2022 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Adelaide Strikers won by 6 runs |
| 2 Jan 2022 | Sydney Showground Stadium | Sydney Thunder won by 28 runs |
| 31 Dec 2021 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Sydney Thunder won by 22 runs |
| 25 Jan 2021 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Sydney Thunder won by 9 wickets |
The 15 all out and the best bowling
The Thunder’s 15 all out at Sydney Showground Stadium is the lowest total in the matchup by a huge margin. Henry Thornton took 5/3 in 2.5 overs and Wes Agar 4/6 in 2 overs. The next lowest is the Strikers’ own 97 at the same ground in Jan 2019, a game the Thunder won by 71 runs.
Ish Sodhi (Strikers) produced the finest spell, 6/11 from 3.3 overs on 18 Jan 2017, as the Thunder fell for 101 in a 77-run defeat. Peter Siddle (Strikers) and Daniel Sams (Thunder) share the most wickets, 19 each, with Siddle the cheaper at an average of 16.42. Rashid Khan has 12 wickets for the Strikers at an economy of 6.77.
Season details for both clubs sit on the Adelaide Strikers BBL records and Sydney Thunder BBL records pages.
Leading run scorers and hundreds
Jake Weatherald (Strikers) heads the run chart on 411 from 16 innings, and Matt Short (Strikers) is next with 343. Alex Hales leads the Thunder with 285 at 35.62, followed by Usman Khawaja on 256.
Only two hundreds have been scored, both by Thunder batters. Chris Gayle made 100* in the first meeting on 23 Dec 2011, with 11 sixes. Khawaja’s 104* from 59 deliveries at Adelaide on 21 Jan 2016 tops the scoring and led an 8-wicket win. Jason Sangha came close with 91* on 31 Dec 2021.
For the Thunder’s even record against Melbourne, see Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder, and BBL records holds the league-wide lists.
Questions about Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers
Who has won more matches between Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers?
The Strikers, 13 to 10 across 25 BBL games, with 2 more ending without a result. The sides first met on 23 Dec 2011.
Who won the last Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder match?
Adelaide Strikers, by 6 runs at home on 6 Jan 2026. The Thunder’s most recent win came at Manuka Oval on 17 Dec 2024, by 2 wickets.
What was the Sydney Thunder's lowest score against Adelaide Strikers?
15 all out in 5.5 overs at Sydney Showground Stadium on 16 Dec 2022. Henry Thornton took 5/3 and the Strikers won by 124 runs, the biggest margin in this matchup.
Who has scored the most runs in Strikers vs Thunder matches?
Jake Weatherald of the Strikers, 411 at 29.36. Matt Short follows with 343, and Alex Hales tops the Thunder list on 285.
Does batting first win more often in Thunder vs Strikers games?
It does here: 15 wins when batting first, only 8 when chasing. Opening totals have averaged 165.
Source: ball-by-ball match data from Cricsheet.org (ODC-BY). See how we compile these records.