Match No. 5 of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025–26 will see Melbourne Stars (STA) lock horns with Hobart Hurricanes (HUR) at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, December 18. The Stars, who secured a fourth-place finish last season, are set to begin their campaign with this encounter.
Read The Betting Professionals’ expert analysis for the 5th Match of BBL 2025-26 between Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes, including top cricket betting sites and predictions.
Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes (STA vs HUR) Match Details, 5th Match - BBL 2025-26
Series | Big Bash League 2025-26 |
Series Match No | 5th Match |
Format | T20 |
Match Date | 16th December 2025 |
Match Time | `04:15 PM (Local)/01:45 AM IST |
Venue | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes (STA vs HUR) Match Preview, 5th Match - BBL 2025-26
Melbourne Stars (STA) Preview
Melbourne Stars enjoyed a fairly solid campaign in the previous edition of the Big Bash League, doing enough to secure a spot in the playoffs. However, their journey came to an end in the Knockout, where they suffered a 21-run defeat against Sydney Thunder in a rain-curtailed contest.
Glenn Maxwell was the standout performer with the bat for the Stars last season, finishing as the team’s leading run-scorer with 325 runs. With the ball, Mark Steketee led the attack impressively, picking up 15 wickets to emerge as their highest wicket-taker.
Under the leadership of Marcus Stoinis, the Stars boast a squad packed with proven match-winners. The likes of Glenn Maxwell, Haris Rauf, and Hilton Cartwright add depth and firepower, making the side a dangerous proposition on their day.
Players to Watch
Hilton Cartwright: Currently enjoying a rich vein of form, Cartwright has repeatedly stepped up in pressure situations. He often plays the role of the stabiliser when the top order falters and could be crucial in the middle overs.
Haris Rauf: The express pacer is expected to thrive on Australian surfaces. With his pace and ability to extract bounce, Rauf will be a key weapon for the Stars, especially in the powerplay and death overs.
Melbourne Stars Predicted XI
Joe Clarke, Sam Harper (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis (c), Hilton Cartwright, Tom Curran, Campbell Kellaway, Haris Rauf, Peter Siddle, Mitch Swepson, Tom Rogers
Hobart Hurricanes (HUR) Preview
Hobart Hurricanes currently sit third on the BBL 2025–26 points table, having secured one win so far in the tournament.
Nikhil Chaudhary has been the leading run-scorer for the Hurricanes this season, accumulating 41 runs, while Billy Stanlake has spearheaded the bowling attack with three wickets to his name.
The Hurricanes opened their campaign with an impressive four-wicket victory over Sydney Thunder. Batting first, Thunder posted a competitive 180 for 6 in 20 overs. Cameron Bancroft anchored the innings with a composed 61 off 44 balls, while Matthew Gilkes provided a brisk start with 20 off just seven deliveries. However, the middle order faltered, and it was Daniel Sams’ late cameo of 23 off 11 balls that pushed the total to a strong finish.
In response, Hobart got off to a solid start through openers Mitchell Owen and Nikhil Chaudhary, who scored 32 and 41 respectively. Ben McDermott kept the momentum going with an aggressive 38 off 24 balls, including one four and three sixes. Despite losing a few wickets in the middle overs, Chris Jordan showed composure at the death, scoring an unbeaten 16 off 13 balls to guide the Hurricanes home in the final over with four wickets to spare.
Hobart Hurricanes Predicted XI
Mitchell Owen, Nikhil Chaudhary, Rehan Ahmed, Ben McDermott, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Chris Jordan, Nathan Ellis (c), Rishad Hossain, Riley Meredith, Billy Stanlake
Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes (STA vs HUR) Head to Head
Melbourne Stars and Hobart Hurricanes have faced each other 22 times in the Big Bash League so far. Melbourne Stars hold a clear edge in the head-to-head record, having won 14 matches, while Hobart Hurricanes have emerged victorious on 8 occasions.
Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes (STA vs HUR) Pitch Report, 5th Match - BBL 2025-26
Across the 28 T20I matches played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, teams chasing have enjoyed greater success, winning 16 games. The average first-innings score stands at 140, though teams usually need a higher total to feel safe. The surface tends to offer early assistance to bowlers, but as the pitch settles and wears, batting becomes noticeably easier at the ‘G’.
Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes (STA vs HUR) Betting Odds
For Match 5 of the BBL 2025–26, 1xBet have installed Hobart Hurricanes as the favourites with odds of 1.79, while Melbourne Stars enter the clash as underdogs, priced at 2.04.
Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes Win Probability
Google’s prediction model slightly favours the Hobart Hurricanes, giving them a 53% chance of winning Match 5 of the BBL 2025–26, while Melbourne Stars are assigned a 47% probability of causing an upset.
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