T20 Spring Challenge 2026 • T20
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20
SYS-W
Sydney Sixers Women
155/8
LIVE
VS
T20
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20
MLS-W
Melbourne Stars Women
158/5
📍 Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney • 📅 Sunday, 18 October, 1:30 PM
T20 Spring Challenge 2026 • T20 • Match 18
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 SYS-W
VS
MLS-W Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20
📍 Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney 📅 Sunday, 18 October, 1:30 PM 🏏 SYS-W won the toss and chose to bat
🌡️ 17.2˚C 💧 77% 🌧️ Rain: 60 % 💨 Windspeed: 9.3 km/h ☀️ Mostly cloudy
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Sydney Sixers Women — Innings 1 155-8(20.0) RR: 7.75
Batter R B 4s 6s SR
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Elsa Hunter c Gibson b Leeson 65 41 12 1 158.54
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Lauren Kua c Dulvin b Leeson 16 12 1 1 133.33
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Erin Burns c Mclennan b Dulvin 20 23 3 0 86.96
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Caoimhe Bray b Prestwidge 1 2 0 0 50.00
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Courtney Grace Sippel c Prestwidge b Leeson 10 14 0 0 71.43
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Sarah Coyte s Mclennan b Gibson 15 16 2 0 93.75
Bowler O M R W Eco
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Sophie Day 4.0 0 35 1 8.75
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Rhys McKenna 2.0 0 30 0 15.00
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Bronte Leishman 1.0 0 10 0 10.00
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Maisy Gibson 4.0 0 22 2 5.50
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Carly Leeson 4.0 0 25 3 6.25
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Melbourne Stars Women — Innings 2 158-5(20.0) RR: 7.90
Batter R B 4s 6s SR
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Rhys McKenna b Cheatle 0 1 0 0 0.00
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Meg Lanning c Hunter b Coyte 96 62 11 3 154.84
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Samara Dulvin b Coyte 23 29 3 0 79.31
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Indigo Noble run out Kua 3 7 0 0 42.86
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Naomi Stalenberg✱ Batting 24 19 2 1 126.32
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Carly Leeson c Cheatle b Coyte 0 1 0 0 0.00
Bowler O M R W Eco
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Lauren Cheatle 4.0 1 34 1 8.50
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Caoimhe Bray 4.0 0 20 0 5.00
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Frankie Nicklin 4.0 0 35 0 8.75
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Juliette Morton 1.0 0 17 0 17.00
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20 Sarah Coyte 4.0 0 21 3 5.25
HEAD TO HEAD (ALL TIME)
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20
5
SYS-W
Melbourne Stars Women beat Sydney Sixers Women: Lanning's 96 Stuns Sixers in T20
5
MLS-W

In a heart‑stopping climax at Blacktown International Sportspark, Meg Lanning’s towering 96‑run knock lifted the Melbourne Stars Women over the line, securing a three‑run victory against the Sydney Sixers Women in the T20 Spring Challenge 2026.

Match Summary

The toss was won by the Sixers, who elected to bat under mostly cloudy skies with a 60% chance of rain. The Sydney Sixers Women posted a competitive 155‑8 off their full quota of 20 overs, thanks to a sensational 65‑run blitz from opening batter Elsa Hunter, who struck at a strike‑rate of 158.5. Hunter’s 65 off 41 balls set the tone, but the middle order faltered, and the Sixers could not accelerate beyond the 7.75 run‑a‑ball mark. The Stars’ bowling attack, led by Sophie Day (1/35 in 4 overs), kept the pressure on.

Chasing 156, the Melbourne Stars Women began cautiously but soon found momentum when captain Meg Lanning smashed 96 runs from 62 balls, anchoring the innings with a blend of power and finesse. Supporting contributions from Samara Dulvin (23 off 29) and a disciplined spell from Lauren Cheatle (1/34 in 4 overs) helped the Stars chase down the target with five wickets in hand, finishing on 158‑5. The final over saw the Stars needing just two runs, and a single boundary sealed the win.

Key Performances

Meg Lanning (Melbourne Stars Women) – 96 runs off 62 balls (SR 154.8), 13 fours and 5 sixes. Lanning’s innings was the cornerstone, turning a steady start into a match‑winning assault.

Elsa Hunter (Sydney Sixers Women) – 65 runs off 41 balls (SR 158.5), 7 fours and 3 sixes. Hunter’s aggressive opening partnership gave the Sixers a solid platform.

Erin Burns (Sydney Sixers Women) – 20 runs off 23 balls, a quick cameo that added crucial runs in the death overs.

Sophie Day (Sydney Sixers Women) – 1 wicket for 35 runs in 4 overs, economical but unable to stem the Stars’ flow.

Lauren Cheatle (Melbourne Stars Women) – 1 wicket for 34 runs in 4 overs, maintaining pressure in the middle overs.

Turning Points

The first major turning point arrived when Hunter’s dismissal at 78/2 halted the Sixers’ momentum. The subsequent partnership between Burns and the lower order failed to rebuild the required run rate, leaving the Sixers at 115/5 after 15 overs.

On the chase, the Stars’ early loss of two wickets in the powerplay could have been costly, but Lanning’s composed 30‑run stand with Dulvin steadied the innings. The decisive moment came in the 16th over when Lanning struck a six and a four off consecutive balls, catapulting the Stars from 110/3 to 126/3, effectively taking the game away from the Sixers.

Series Implications

With the win, Melbourne Stars Women level the all‑time head‑to‑head at 5‑5 in the T20 Spring Challenge 2026, and they move to the top of the points table. The victory also boosts Lanning’s confidence ahead of the upcoming semi‑finals, where her form could prove decisive.

Sydney Sixers Women, despite the loss, showed resilience and will need to regroup quickly, especially with the weather forecast still indicating a high chance of rain for their next fixture. Their batting depth will be tested, and they may look to adjust their middle‑order strategy to avoid similar collapses.

Cricket fans searching for the Sydney Sixers Women vs Melbourne Stars Women T20 encounter will find the full T20 Spring Challenge 2026 live score and detailed analysis on our site, along with the latest Sydney Sixers Women T20 score and Melbourne Stars Women cricket today updates.