Hussey makes his Big Bash finals predictions

Former Australia batter Mike Hussey is backing Sydney Sixers to win the KFC BBL this summer, but not before losing Friday night's blockbuster clash with Melbourne Stars.

The Stars and Sixers finished first and second on the BBL|09 ladder respectively and will lock horns in The Qualifier on Friday night at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where the winner will advance and host The Final on Saturday, February 8.

The loser will face the winner of the match between third-placed Adelaide Strikers and the winner of tomorrow night's match at Blundstone Arena between Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder.

This is the first season of the new-look finals format, which has Hussey thinking the Sixers could take full advantage of and bounce back from a loss on Friday night and still take out the title.

Weighing on Hussey's mind is the previous encounter between the Stars and Sixers at the MCG, where the home side racked up 1-219 due to an incredible 147no from allrounder Marcus Stoinis.   

The Sixers put up 7-175 in reply to lose by 44 runs but did exact their revenge at the SCG eight days later with a 21-run DLS win.

However, the teams that contested that match in Sydney look vastly different to the ones that will take the field in Melbourne in two days' time.

The Stars will welcome back gun overseas bowler Haris Rauf, with Peter Handscomb and Adam Zampa back from international duty and a fresh Nathan Coulter-Nile, who has been rested at different stages during the tournament.

Despite securing top spot by winning 10 of their first 11 matches, the Stars lost their last three games of the regular season to limp into the finals.

Meanwhile Sydney have won their past three matches having had the services of powerhouse pair Steve Smith and Josh Hazlewood, with the return of fast bowler Sean Abbott, who has missed the past month with a side strain injury, set to give the men in a magenta a further boost.

However, the Sixers will be without English import Tom Curran, who has left for South Africa on national duties. 

While he admits Melbourne's lean patch heading into the finals has him concerned, Hussey says that earlier encounter at the MCG is enough to give the Stars the edge in The Qualifier. 

"I go back to the game that they played against each other at the MCG in the qualifying rounds, where Stoinis made that magnificent century, and they absolutely belted the Sixers everywhere, Hussey said on this week's episode of The Unplayable Podcast.

"What I'm wrestling in my mind is how much does that change of momentum with the Stars, when they were on that winning streak at that stage now they've lost a few in a row, how much is that going to affect them?

"How much is the previous meeting (in Melbourne), where the Stars absolutely belted them, how much is that going to affect the Sixers?

"And then lastly, how much impact is the likes of Steve Smith and Josh Hazlewood coming into the Sixers team, how much is that going to affect the outcome of this match?

"There's a lot of balls in the air here for me, but I'm tipping the Stars, not confidently at all, but I'm tipping the Stars to just kick again and get through to the Final."

But when asked which side will take out the trophy, Hussey delivered the surprising pick of the Sixers.

"Even though I think the Stars might pip them in Melbourne, I think the Sixers can go all the way," he said.

"When you get the likes of Steve Smith and Hazlewood into that team, they've got good spinners, they've got good pacers, an excellent captain in Moises Henriques as well and I think captaincy can quite often be the difference in T20 games.

"I actually am leaning towards the Sixers going all the way."

Hussey tipped the Hurricanes to beat the Thunder and take on Adelaide on Saturday in The Knockout.