Stars will rely on Pietersen to post a big total on SaturdayReuters

Match: Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers

Date: 21 January, Saturday

Time: 4:25pm SGT/1:55pm IST/8:25am GMT

Competition: Big Bash League 2016/17

Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground

TV Channel: Star Cricket will provide live TV coverage in Singapore.

Live streaming: Hotstar

Overview

We are heading into the final day of the group stages of the ongoing Big Bash League tournament with only two games to play and only one team, Brisbane Heat with 10 points, have qualified for the semi-final.

Four teams are now tied at eight points and there is chance a fifth team, Hobart Hurricanes (six points from seven matches), may join and make it a five-way tie if they beat Perth Scorchers in the first game on Saturday.

Notably, Sydney Sixers, eight points from seven games, slipped out of top-four after Melbourne Renegades beat table-toppers Brisbane Heat by a run on Friday. Moises Henrqieues' side, who are the only team with eight points to have a negative Net Run Rate (-1.062), need to clinch a big win against Melbourne Stars if they are to stand a chance of making the semi-final.

Sixers have big hitters of the likes of Michael Lumb, Moises Henriques and Colin Munro to post a big total and give themselves a chance. The presence of Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird, Johan Botha and Ben Dwarshuis in the bowling unit also make them a formidable unit.

On the other hand, Stars would want to seal the semi-final spot with a win as a defeat might see them slipped behind the top-four. They are also coming off a defeat against table-toppers Heat in their last group game.

No scores from Rob Quiney, Kevin Pietersen and Marcus Stoinis hurt their batting performance but the trio are experienced enough to make an impact in the big game. A lot will also depend on their in-form spinners Michael Beer and Adam Zampa as tweakers can afford to be aggressive at the MCG and reap rewards.

TV Schedule

Singapore: Star Cricket

India: Star Sports

US: Willow TV

UK: BT Sport 2

Australia: Network 10

South Africa: Supersport

Team News

Stars

Squad: Hussey (c), Pietersen, Beer, Gulbis, Harper, Quiney, Handscomb, Stoinis, Wright, Coleman, Boland, Gannon, Bowe, Hilfenhaus

Sixers

Squad: Henriques (c), Hughes, Munro, Lumb, Haddin (wk), Mennie, Silk, Abbott, Botha, Conway, Dwarshuis, Lyon, Bird

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