Sydney Sixers enter BBL|16 with Matthew Mott in charge

Sydney Sixers have 12 players confirmed for the Big Bash League 2026-27. Matthew Mott is the new head coach, Tim Seifert is the first overseas signing and Moises Henriques has retired. The BBL|16 captain is still unannounced, while Steve Smith is contracted but expected to miss the season.

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Sydney Sixers BBL 2026-27 overview

Sydney reached the BBL|15 Final after finishing second in the regular season. Perth Scorchers won the decider by six wickets, but the Sixers retained most of the bowling group that carried them through the finals.

The larger change has occurred off the field. Sydney will begin the new season with a different head coach, a new captain and several changes to its top-order batting options.

Sydney Sixers confirmed squad for BBL|16

The latest Cricket Australia squad tracker lists 12 contracted Sixers players. Each club can carry up to 18 players on its primary roster, leaving Sydney with six available positions.

The full league-wide player list will be maintained on the BBL 2026-27 squads page.

Matthew Mott takes over a BBL finalist

Matthew Mott is the Sydney Sixers head coach for BBL|16. He replaces James Hopes, who was initially appointed after Greg Shipperd’s departure but was later released to take charge of Queensland and Brisbane Heat.

Mott already knows the Sixers setup after working as an assistant with the men’s team. His appointment gives Sydney an experienced coach during its first season without Moises Henriques as captain.

The Sixers are not rebuilding from the bottom. Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis and Jack Edwards remain part of the established group. The immediate work involves replacing Henriques’ leadership and preparing for Steve Smith’s expected absence.

Who will captain Sydney Sixers in BBL|16?

Sydney Sixers have not announced their captain for the Big Bash League 2026-27.

Moises Henriques retired from Australian domestic cricket after BBL|15. He led the Sixers to the BBL|09 and BBL|10 championships and was one of the longest-serving captains in the competition.

Sean Abbott and Jordan Silk are among the most experienced players on the current list. Jack Edwards has also developed into an important all-round member of the side. However, none of them has been officially named as Henriques’ successor.

Steve Smith is contracted for BBL|16 but is expected to miss the tournament because of Australia’s international commitments. The captaincy therefore remains TBC until the Sixers make an official announcement.

Tim Seifert gives Sydney a new opening option

Tim Seifert has signed a one-year contract after spending two seasons with Melbourne Renegades. The New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter scored 485 runs for the Renegades, including a BBL-best innings of 102 from 56 balls against Brisbane Heat.

Seifert was also named player of the tournament in the 2026 Hundred after scoring 394 runs. He struck 72 from 38 balls in the final to help Manchester Super Giants win the title.

His arrival gives Sydney an experienced opening batter while Smith is expected to be unavailable. Both Seifert and Philippe can keep wicket, although the Sixers have not announced who will take the gloves.

Seifert is currently Sydney’s only confirmed overseas player. BBL clubs can carry up to three overseas players on their primary list, giving the Sixers room to make two more international signings.

Ollie and Joel Davies are reunited in magenta

Ollie Davies has moved from Sydney Thunder on a three-year contract running through BBL|18. He will play alongside his younger brother Joel at the Sixers.

Ollie adds middle-order power after Henriques’ retirement. Joel offers a different skill set and became a useful spin option during BBL|15, taking 14 wickets.

Their reunion gives Sydney two young players with longer-term value. Ollie is tied to the club for three seasons, while Joel currently has one year remaining on his contract.

Fergus O’Neill joins an established pace attack

Fergus O’Neill has signed a two-year deal after leaving Melbourne Renegades. He joins a pace group containing Abbott, Dwarshuis, Edwards and Kerr.

Sydney already have several proven wicket-taking options:

• Jack Edwards took 19 wickets in BBL|15.
• Ben Dwarshuis claimed 16.
• Joel Davies finished with 14.
• Sean Abbott took 11 despite missing the beginning of the season.
• Mitchell Starc collected 10 after returning during the second half of the campaign.

Abbott remains the most experienced member of the attack. His latest contract extension secured the leading wicket-taker in men’s BBL history for another season.

Spin depth is less settled. Todd Murphy has moved to Melbourne Stars and Ben Manenti remains uncontracted, leaving Joel Davies as the main spin option among the 12 confirmed players.

Which BBL|15 players are not currently signed?

Several high-profile BBL|15 players are not part of Sydney’s current contracted list.

Other uncontracted players include Jafer Chohan, Josh Hazlewood, Riley Kingsell, Mitch Perry, Jake Scott, Harjas Singh and Charlie Stobo.

An uncontracted player can still sign before the season. However, these names are not confirmed members of the BBL|16 squad unless Sydney Sixers or Cricket Australia announces a new agreement.

Is Babar Azam returning to Sydney Sixers?

Babar Azam is not currently contracted by Sydney Sixers for BBL|16. He scored 202 runs during BBL|15, but no new agreement has been announced.

Tim Seifert’s arrival gives Sydney another overseas opening batter. Cricket Australia reported that his signing could signal a change in the Sixers’ top-order plan, but the club has not formally ruled out Babar’s return.

Babar’s correct current status is uncontracted, not confirmed or officially departed.

Will Steve Smith play for Sydney Sixers in BBL 2026-27?

Steve Smith is contracted for BBL|16, but Cricket Australia reported that he is expected to miss the entire tournament because of national commitments.

Smith was Sydney’s highest run-scorer in BBL|15. He made 299 runs from six innings at an average of 59.80.

His expected absence creates an opening role for Seifert and Philippe. Smith should remain on the contracted squad list, but he should not be presented as available for a particular fixture unless the Sixers confirm it.

Why the BBL|15 Final still matters

Sydney Sixers finished second in the BBL|15 regular season with six wins, three defeats and one no result.

They lost the Qualifier to Perth Scorchers, defeated Hobart Hurricanes in the Challenger and returned to Perth for the Final. The Sixers were restricted to 132 before Perth completed a six-wicket victory with 15 balls remaining.

The result explains why Sydney retained most of its bowling group. The greater uncertainty is now in the batting order, where Henriques has retired, Smith is expected to be unavailable and several overseas players remain unsigned.

Sydney Sixers BBL 2026-27 fixtures

Sydney Sixers play ten regular-season matches between 15 December 2026 and 17 January 2027. Five are designated home games, with four at the SCG and one at Manuka Oval in Canberra.

All start times below are the published AEDT fixture times.

See AEDT, IST and Pakistan time for every match on the complete BBL 2026-27 schedule.

Download the full BBL|16 schedule PDF.

When are the two Sydney Smash matches?

Sydney Thunder host the first Sydney Smash at ENGIE Stadium on 19 December 2026. Sydney Sixers host the return match at the SCG on 15 January 2027.

The second derby takes place only two days before the end of the regular season. It could affect finals qualification if either Sydney club is still competing for a top-four position.

Ollie Davies’ move adds another story to the rivalry. He could face his former Thunder teammates in only his second regular-season game as a Sixers player.

When do Sydney Sixers play Perth Scorchers?

Sydney Sixers host defending champions Perth Scorchers at the SCG on 10 January 2027. It is the only regular-season meeting between the two BBL|15 finalists.

The match starts at 2:10 PM AEDT and is Sydney’s only afternoon home fixture of the regular season.

What remains unresolved before the season?

Sydney have six primary roster positions available. The club can also add two more overseas players because Seifert is the only international player currently confirmed.

Captaincy and spin depth are the main unanswered areas. Joel Davies is the leading spin option among the contracted players following Murphy’s move to Melbourne Stars and the expiry of Manenti’s contract.

The current batting group includes Philippe, Seifert, Ollie Davies, Silk and Shaw. Abbott, Dwarshuis, Edwards, Kerr and O’Neill form the main seam attack. The remaining signings will determine how Sydney covers international absences and injuries during the ten-match regular season.