Last Updated on 3 months ago by Charbel Coorey

Arguably two of the league’s most flawed teams meet in the 33rd match of BBL 2025/26.

Sydney Thunder are out of finals contention, enduring a nightmare season with just a single win on the board. Their listless performance in Brisbane on Saturday was another episode in this horror story as their bowlers yet again failed to land a punch on the opposition batting lineup.

With the bat, David Warner is the only player making any meaningful contribution. The captain is in doubt for this game after copping a blow to the knee against the Brisbane Heat two days ago.

So, this represents an opportunity for the Melbourne Renegades, who must win. Will Sutherland’s team currently sit three points outside the top four, and defeat here all-but-confirms the team to yet another year without playoffs cricket.

Like the Thunder, the Renegades are seeking a bounce back after a heavy defeat. They were blown away by eight wickets and 25 balls spare against Melbourne Renegades on Saturday.

BBL 2025/26 33rd Match: THU vs REN Possible Playing XIs

Despite his injury worry, David Warner is in the Thunder squad. If he doesn’t play, Sam Konstas will likely come back into the XI.

Sydney Thunder: 1. David Warner/Sam Konstas, 2. Matthew Gilkes, 3. Cameron Bancroft, 4. Sam Billings (OS, wk), 5. Nic Maddinson, 6. Daniel Sams, 7. Chris Green, 8. David Willey (OS), 9. Tanveer Sangha, 10. Ryan Hadley/Charlie Anderson, 11. Wes Agar

In a big boost for the Renegades, Adam Zampa is back in the squad. He missed the last few games with a neck strain.

Melbourne Renegades: 1. Josh Brown, 2. Tim Seifert (OS), 3. Jake Fraser-McGurk, 4. Muhammad Rizwan (OS, wk), 5. Caleb Jewell, 6. Hassan Khan (OS), 7. Will Sutherland (c), 8. Gurinder Sandhu, 9. Brendan Doggett, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Jason Behrendhorff

ENGIE Stadium Sydney Showground Pitch Report and Weather

Sydney Showground has been a high-scoring venue this season. Teams batting first have smashed scores of 198/5, 202/8 and 205/4. Teams batting first have won twice, with Sydney Thunder losing all three home games so far.

Pace bowlers have taken 33 wickets in BBL 2025/26 at an average of 20.15 and economy of 9.45. Spinners have struggled, taking seven wickets at an average of 59.85 and economy of 9.63.

There is a chance of showers tomorrow in Western Sydney, but Bureau of Meteorology says it’s most likely in the morning and afternoon. A top of 23 degrees is forecast.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for THU vs REN 2025/26: Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top wicket-keeper picks:

• Matthew Gilkes opens the batting and inspires more confidence than Sam Billings or Muhammad Rizwan at this stage. He is the Thunder’s second-highest run-scorer this season (218) at an average of 27.25 and strike rate of 162.68.
• Tim Seifert has scores of 8, 6, 11 and 3 in his past four knocks. A game against a struggling Thunder attack can see a return to form.

Key batter picks:

• David Warner is an automatic pick given his form, with scores of 130*, 67* and 82 in is past three matches. Warner has struck 112 runs in two matches against the Renegades at an average of 112 and strike rate of 140.
• Josh Brown is also enjoying a strong run of form. In his last five matches, Brown has smashed 255 runs at an average of 51 and strike rate of 177.1. He comes up against a struggling Thunder attack today.

Top all-rounder picks:

• Daniel Sams has taken 16 wickets in 11 innings against the Renegades at an average of 17.50 and economy of 7.57. He has 36 wickets in 23 innings at this ground, striking every 12.6 deliveries (econ. 8.62).
• Will Sutherland has just three wickets in seven innings against Sydney Thunder (avg. 49, econ. 8.65), but the Thunder batting is very inconsistent. He can also strike a few big blows at the death.

Key bowler picks:

• Gurinder Sandhu is the equal second-highest wicket-taker this season with 14. He also knows this ground well, with 11 wickets at a strike rate of 27.9. He will be looking to improve on this.
• Spin bowlers have taken 14 wickets against Sydney Thunder this season. Adam Zampa will be looking to make an impact right away. The legspinner has 23 wickets in 16 innings against Thunder (econ. 7.53) and has a good matchup against Sam Billings (see below).

Other Players to Consider for your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Hassan Khan offers all-round value from a fantasy cricket perspective. He has picked up at least one wicket in four of his past five matches and has two 20+ scores too.
• Sam Billings has three 20+ scores in his past five innings, but no score over 34. Is this the day he makes a bigger contribution?
• Cameron Bancroft career record against Melbourne Renegades: 9 inns, 275 runs, avg. 39.29, SR 141.03.
• Jason Behrendhorff has just one wicket in his past five matches. But, he has promising matchups against the Thunder openers.

Other Stats and Important Matchups

• Head-to-head: Matches 19, Thunder 8, Renegades 10, N/R 1.
• At Sydney Showground: Thunder 1, Renegades 2, N/R 1.
• David Warner hasn’t been dismissed by a bowler in the last 172 deliveries he has faced.
• Jason Behrendhorff vs Matthew Gilkes: 23 balls, 31 runs, one wicket.
• Jason Behrendhorff vs David Warner: 31 balls, 34 runs, two wickets.
• Daniel Sams vs Jason Brown: 12 balls, 21 runs, one wicket.
• Daniel Sams vs Will Sutherland: 22 balls, 41 runs, two wickets.
• Adam Zampa vs Sam Billings: 55 balls, 64 runs, four wickets.

BBL 2025/26 33rd Match: THU vs REN Dream11 Prediction Today

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams. 

Option 1:

Option 2:

BBL 2025/26 33rd Match: THU vs REN Match Prediction – Who will win?

Renegades to win.

Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes for Dream11 free contests in line with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The stats and writer’s views are in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.

All statistics and matchups in this article have been verified by ESPNcricinfo, Bigbashboard and Cricmetric.