Brisbane Heat kept their Big Bash League (BBL) season alive in extraordinary fashion as Zaman Khan produced a sensational final over to script a dramatic three-run win over Hobart Hurricanes in a high-stakes contest that swung wildly in the closing moments.
Chasing 161, the Hurricanes appeared home and dry at 124 for 2, needing just 37 runs with eight wickets in hand. But a breathtaking collapse of 6 wickets for 32 runs turned the match on its head, culminating in Zaman’s nerveless last over, where he conceded just two runs and dismissed Nikhil Chaudhary off the penultimate ball to seal a famous Heat comeback.
With six required off the final six deliveries, Zaman mixed pace, accuracy and composure under intense pressure. Earlier, Heat had already been rescued in the field by Matt Renshaw’s outstanding boundary stop at deep midwicket in the 18th over, a moment that saved five crucial runs and proved decisive in the final reckoning.
The result looked highly unlikely for much of the evening. After being sent in, Brisbane stumbled after a promising start, sliding from 110 for 2 to 160 for 8 as Hobart’s deep bowling attack strangled them in the back half of the innings. Nathan McSweeney (49) and Renshaw (37) did the bulk of the scoring, but the Heat failed to capitalise, losing 6 wickets for 49 runs and leaving the Hurricanes with what seemed a manageable chase.
Hobart’s pursuit wobbled early at 26 for 2, but the game swung decisively when Ben McDermott was dropped on 1 at deep square leg. That miss proved costly as McDermott (59) and Beau Webster (51) combined for a fluent 98-run partnership, riding their luck with further chances spilled as Heat’s fielding threatened to unravel.
Just as Hurricanes looked set to cruise, Marnus Labuschagne’s legspin broke the stand, removing Webster in the 15th over. That wicket triggered chaos. Brisbane’s bowlers tightened the screws, boundaries dried up, and wickets tumbled in quick succession as Hobart lost their composure under mounting pressure.
Zaman’s final act ensured the collapse was complete, sparking jubilant celebrations for the Heat and leaving the Hurricanes stunned after letting a golden opportunity slip. The defending champions had been eyeing two home finals, but instead walked away with a damaging loss that reshapes the BBL ladder.
For Brisbane Heat, it was a victory built on belief, nerve, and a final over that will be replayed all season, a reminder that in the BBL, no chase is safe until the last ball is bowled.
