In Australia’s Big Bash League, the knockout match between Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars was suddenly stopped. The match, being played in Sydney, was not halted due to rain or a storm, but because of lightning. The game had just started when dark clouds covered the sky, followed by a strong lightning strike. As a result, the players left the field, and the match was called off. At the time the match was stopped, Sydney Thunder had scored 33 runs for 1 wicket.

Fear of Lightning Forces Big Bash Knockout Match to Be Stopped

The knockout match in Australia’s Big Bash League was stopped due to the fear of lightning. Every year in Australia, 4-5 people lose their lives to lightning, and more than 100 are injured. There have also been incidents where players have died on the field due to lightning strikes. This fear prompted the organizers to halt the match for safety reasons.

Overs Reduced After Match Suspension

The suspension of the match due to lightning also impacted the number of overs. In the 20-over match, 1 over was cut from each inning. As a result, the knockout match between Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars was reduced to 19 overs per side.

Sydney Thunder Struggles After Resumption

When the match resumed after the lightning passed, Sydney Thunder’s situation worsened. They lost two more wickets in the next 19 runs. Before the match was stopped, Sydney Thunder had scored 33 runs for 1 wicket. Upon returning to the field, they were quickly reduced to 37 for 2. Both wickets were taken by Pakistani bowler Osama Mir, with Matthew Gilkes being the third wicket to fall. David Warner captained Sydney Thunder in the match, while Marcus Stoinis led Melbourne Stars (BBL 2024-25).

Brief Scores

Sydney Thunder (ST): 106/6 (16/19 overs)
Melbourne Stars (MS): Yet To Bat ( All score updates are written as of the time this report was written.)