KFC BBL|12
Brisbane will square off with the Sydney Sixers for a spot in the final, with captain Khawaja playing lead hand in run chase
Jack Paynter at Marvel Stadium
29 January 2023, 10:31 PM AEST
@jackpayn
Usman Khawaja has affirmed his status as the Big Bash finals king with another incredible batting display to power his Brisbane Heat side into KFC BBL|12's final three.
The Heat skipper – playing his final match of the tournament before departing for a four-Test Qantas Tour of India – blasted 59 from 47 balls in a seven-wicket victory over the Melbourne Renegades in the Knockout at Marvel Stadium.
Veteran batter Shaun Marsh also put in an impressive performance as he wound back the clock with an unbeaten 82 (53) as the Renegades set the Heat 163 to advance to face the Sixers on Thursday.
The 39-year-old left-hander briefly moved level with Sixers skipper Moises Henriques for the most runs in BBL finals with 423 before Khawaja (470) overtook them both in the second over of the Heat's innings.
It was on that second ball of David Moody's over – who was brought into the side to replace Kane Richardson who missed the clash for family reasons – that Jon Wells got a hand to a sharp chance at midwicket, but he could only briefly slow the ball's progress as it raced to the rope for four.
It was one of five boundaries the Test opener hit in a four-over Powerplay blitz as the Heat shot out of the blocks, taking 40 off the opening five overs.
Bat-maker Josh Brown also joined in, smacking four sixes in his 27-ball 39 as the pair put on 75 in almost nine overs for the first wicket.
Will Sutherland and Corey Rocchiccioli copped the worst punishment with both conceding 12 runs from their opening over.
Marnus Labuschagne (23) again provided good support through the middle of the innings before both fell in the Power Surge.
It left the Heat – who imploded in the final match of the regular season against the Hurricanes – with a nervy 34 runs required from 24 balls.
But the final member of their departing Test trio Matthew Renshaw saw them home in the penultimate over with a classy 27no (13), in which he didn't face a dot ball for his first 10 deliveries.
It ends a promising campaign for the Renegades who returned to the finals for the first time since their BBL|08 title following three seasons anchored to the bottom of the league table.
Earlier, Marsh was given a life in the fourth over when Heat seamer James Bazley spilled a low chance at short fine leg off the bowling of breakout star Spencer Johnson.
Marsh – who later left the field after eight overs of the Heat innings with cramp – made the most of the chance, racing to his 24th BBL half-century and 54th overall in Twenty20s.
He had solid support from Englishman Matt Critchley (23), who belted two mammoth sixes from consecutive Bazley deliveries, and wicketkeeper Sam Harper (22) to boost the Renegades' score.
Quick Xavier Bartlett, who has been left out of the Heat's XI for almost three weeks, was comfortably Brisbane's best bowler with 3-18 from his four overs.
Michael Neser also continued his strong season with 2-33, taking his wicket tally to 24 for the tournament behind Sean Abbott (28) and AJ Tye (25).
Renegades quick Tom Rogers also claimed 2-32 to finish a standout 23-wicket season with his new club.
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