Steve Smith put on a stunning show in the ongoing Big Bash League, wreaking havoc against city rivals Sydney Thunder at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The star batter went after pacer Ryan Hadley, plundering 32 runs in the 12th over, which included four successive sixes. It was also the most expensive over in BBL history.
“Yeah, so we spoke at the 10 over mark and they said, take the Surge straight away. I was like, no, give it one over. I want to hit to the short boundary and I don't want to screw up the first over. And I looked to try and get 30 off that over. I think we got 32. So it's a good result,” Smith said on the 32-run over.
Riding on his explosive stroke play, Smith brought up his century in just 41 balls, making it the joint-second-fastest hundred in BBL history alongside Glenn Maxwell and Josh Brown.
The knock also saw Smith move ahead of David Warner on the list of most centuries in the Big Bash League. Warner had earlier drawn level with Smith on three hundreds with his century against the Sydney Sixers, but Smith regained sole possession of the top spot with his latest ton against Warner’s side.
Most centuries in BBL history:
| Player | Centuries |
| Steve Smith | 04 |
| David Warner | 03 |
| Ben McDermott | 03 |
Sixers beat Thunder by five wickets
Sixers defeated Thunder by five wickets to move to number four in the BBL points table. Smith’s heroics and Babar Azam’s 47 won the game for the team. The Pakistan international’s strike rate was once again a major concern but the team wouldn’t focus much on that as Smith compensated that.
Meanwhile, Smith’s 141-run partnership with Babar is the Sixers’ highest-ever opening stand in the tournament. Brad Haddin and Michael Lumb held the record previously with a 124-run stand.
“Had to get off to a nice start. Babar and I had a really nice partnership there that set up the platform. And then got to the Surge and it was go time. So, yeah, fortunate enough to hit a few over the fence on the Surge and get us in front of the race,” Smith said after being adjudged the Player of the Match.
