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Perth Scorchers Team (Photo Source: Twitter)

After pulling of one of the upsets in the Challenger against Sydney Sixers, Brisbane Heat (HEA) have rightfully earned a spot in the finals of the event. Following their struggles and successes in the group stage and elimination rounds, Jimmy Peirson-led Heat now see themselves up for the biggest challenge in the league as they are to lock horns with defending champions- Perth Scorchers (SCO), their historic rivals at the Perth Stadium.

Interestingly, the two sides meet once again as they did back in the second edition of the Big Bash League (BBL) at the same venue in Perth. Back then, Brisbane took home the coveted trophy, however, since then Perth have been a dominating force with as many as four titles in their illustrious cabinet.

The match will undoubtedly be an exciting affair as the two sides will be on the lookout for another title to their name. However, the underlying question is- can the defending champions reclaim their title at home or will a new-look Brisbane hand an upset to the home side, again? All eyes will be on Saturday, February 4 when the two forces collide for one final time.

SCO vs HEA Match Details

Venue: Perth Stadium, Perth

Date & Time: February 4, 2:00 PM IST

Telecast & Live Streaming: Sony Sports Network and SonyLiv

SCO vs HEA Pitch Report

The surface at the Perth Stadium will likely provide decent support to both batters and bowlers in this final game. The 22-yard-strip at Perth has seen the extreme ends of first innings scores ranging from 92 to 212 runs, however, it has yielded an average first innings total of 150 runs in the last five games. Either skipper winning the toss may look to set a competitive total on the board and hence will prefer batting first.

SCO vs HEA Probable Playing XIs

Perth Scorchers (SCO):

Cameron Bancroft, Stephen Eskinazi, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis (wk), Ashton Turner (c), Nick Hobson, Cooper Connolly, Andrew Tye, David Payne, Jason Behrendorff, Matt Kelly

Brisbane Heat (HEA):

Sam Heazlett, Josh Brown, Nathan McSweeney, Sam Hain, Jimmy Peirson (c & wk), Max Bryant, Michael Neser, James Bazley, Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann

SCO vs HEA Probable Best Performers

Probable best batter of the match

Aaron Hardie:

Aaron Hardie’s knocks for the defending champions has proven to be instrumental in their successful run thus far. Aggregating 443 runs in just 14 innings, the batter’s final outing against Brisbane will be the most crucial one and he will aim to outclass the rival side with another one of his majestic innings.

Probable best bowler of the match

Michael Neser:

Like Hardie, Brisbane have their own lethal weapon in Michael Neser. His consistent performances have not only got him the breakthroughs but also been vital in restricting the rival side from getting the big runs. In the Challenger, he added two more wickets to his name and has 26 wickets to his tally in 16 outings.

Today’s Match Prediction: Perth Scorchers to win the match

Disclaimer: This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.