The coveted Big Bash League 2025-26 (BBL) continues with Hobart Hurricanes (HUR) taking on Sydney Thunder (THU). Both teams will face off in Match NO. 3 of the tournament at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Tuesday, December 16. It is worth noting that the game will be the first of the season for both teams, and they will hope for a good start.

Hobart is entering the edition as the defending champions, and they would be confident in defending their title. They have once again made a balanced squad this season, which will be crucial for them going forward. On the other hand, Sydney Thunder finished in third place in the standings after winning five out of the 10 contests. However, they lost the Finals to the Hurricanes by seven wickets. The Sydney-based team will see this as a revenge game, and a win against the same opposition in the very first contest will be a big confidence booster for them.

Match Details

Match	Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder, Match 3, BBL 2025-26
Date and Time	Tuesday, December 16; 1:45 pm (IST)
Venue	Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Broadcast and Live Streaming Details	JioStar Network Channels and JioHotstar (app and website)

Bellerive Oval, Hobart — Pitch Report

Traditionally, the Bellerive Oval pitch hasn't been the easiest of surfaces for batters to bat on. However, the pitch is generally seen to favor batters outside the power play due to its true bounce. The Pacers will dominate with the new ball, and batters will settle after the power play.

HUR vs THU — Head-to-Head Record in T20s

Matches Played	22
Won by Hobart Hurricanes	14
Won by Sydney Thunder	8
Tied	0
No Result	0
First-ever Fixture	January 01, 2012
Most-recent Fixture	January 27, 2025

HUR vs THU — Predicted Playing 11s Hobart Hurricanes

Mitch Owen, Tim Ward, Nikhil Chaudhary, Ben McDermott, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Rehan Ahmed, Chris Jordan, Nathan Ellis (c), Riley Meredith, Rishad Hossain

Sydney Thunder

David Warner (c), Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, Ollie Davies, Sam Billings (wk), Chris Green, Nathan McAndrew, Ryan Hadley, Reece Topley, Tanveer Sangha, Shadab Khan/ Tom Andrews

HUR vs THU — Probable Top Performers Probable Best Batter — Mitch Owen

Hobart’s Mitch Owen could be the best batter in the upcoming clash against the Sydney Thunder. Last season, the opener finished as the highest run-getter with 452 runs in 11 innings under his belt. He will take the same confidence while entering the latest edition of the BBL.

Probable Best Bowler — Chris Green

Sydney Thunder’s Chris Green could be the best bowler in the upcoming clash against Hobart Hurricanes. Having picked up 12 wickets in 11 games last season, Green was in good form, and his team will hope for another good performance in the upcoming season.

Today's Match Prediction: Team bowling first to win the match