'Not just the Test guys': The parting words from Khawaja

With his parting words before departing for the four-Test Border-Gavaskar series in India, Usman Khawaja instilled his Brisbane Heat side with the belief that it wasn't just the "Test guys" that had got them to this point.

Indeed, that much is true.

While Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Renshaw have guided the Heat through the finals with 300 runs striking at 156 between them, only Renshaw had reached fifty in the previous six matches leading up to the KFC BBL|12 playoffs.

The Heat are the only side not to lose to the Sydney Sixers either this season, who they face in the Challenger final on Thursday night for a chance to take on the Perth Scorchers for a shot at the club's second BBL crown.

And it was one of their likely replacements for the Test trio that starred in their thrilling win over the Sixers, with Nathan McSweeney lighting up the Gabba on New Year's Day with a superb 84 from 51.

Bat-maker Josh Brown also stood up in that match with a whirlwind 23-ball 62 in just his second Big Bash match, while Heat stalwart Jimmy Peirson has enjoyed another fine campaign to be the Heat's leading run-scorer with 324.

But the sides are yet to face off at the SCG (their return match at North Sydney Oval was abandoned due to rain) where the Sixers have won all five of their games so far this summer.

Others in line for a recall include Max Bryant and English draftee Ross Whiteley, while Sam Heazlett could make his first appearance of the tournament.

It's that belief of having contributors all through their line-up that is holding the Heat in good stead heading into another sudden-death clash, as they won four of their last five regular season matches following the return of their Test players to secure their spot in the BBL|12 finals.

"The blokes coming in have performed throughout the tournament," seamer Michael Neser said, who himself is enjoying his best BBL season with 24 wickets.

"'Uzzy' (Khawaja) did leave us with a little nugget at the end when he mentioned that it wasn't just the Test blokes that have performed this tournament, we've all performed.

"The one thing that we've done lately is somebody has always put up their hand to win the match. We had a little hiccup in Hobart but that's behind us now and I think we're peaking at the right time."

Khawaja reiterated that message following his second half-century of the finals series, a 47-ball 59 that secured the Heat's passage to the Challenger with a seven-wicket victory over the Renegades on Sunday.

"We've got a lot of good depth, I really didn't score too many runs until the last couple of games," the Test opener said on the Fox Cricket broadcast after the match.

"The top four, 'Renners' (Matthew Renshaw) had one good innings, but we didn't really do much, it was the bottom guys that were getting us out of trouble so if you look at it that way, we still won lots of games doing that.

"I'm sure the guys coming in will do well and hopefully we keep riding this momentum.

"Scorchers, Sixers, they've been the best teams in this competition for a very long time now, they're clearly by far the best two teams in the competition this year.

"It's going to be a tough ask, we're going to need something special from one or two of the guys … but it's T20, I'm sure they can do it and anything is possible."

Coincidentally, Khawaja is still in Sydney after visa issues delayed his departure to India but is unlikely to play in the match against the Sixers as securing a visa was his top priority.

Neser said the Heat would put a "lot of emphasis" on combating veteran tweaker Steve O'Keefe to try and keep him out of the game as he had made a habit of stepping up in finals, where he boasts 13 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 6.87.

"They have matchwinners but so do we," he said.

"Uzzy was in our ears and thinks he is the spiritual leader of our bowling attack but not having Uzzy there is a big loss.

"I will probably have to step up and help our bowling attack because Uzzy gave us that calming influence on the field.

"And probably in true Brisbane Heat fashion it will come down to the last over and it will be a tight one."

Neser was named in the official BBL|12 Team of the Tournament and heads into the Challenger three wickets away from becoming the ninth bowler to take 100 in the competition.

Heat squad v Sixers: Jimmy Peirson (c), Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Josh Brown, Max Bryant, Sam Hain (England), Sam Heazlett, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan McSweeney, Michael Neser, Will Prestwidge, Mark Steketee, Ross Whiteley (England), Jack Wildermuth

Sixers squad v Heat: Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Dan Christian, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Josh Kann, Hayden Kerr, Izharulhaq Naveed, Steve O'Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Lachlan Shaw, Jordan Silk