Punjab Kings duo Marcus Stoinis, representing the Melbourne Stars, and Xavier Bartlett, playing for the Brisbane Heat, faced off in the Big Bash League, with Stoinis’ fifty overshadowing Bartlett’s four-wicket haul.

Marcus Stoinis was bought by the Punjab Kings for INR 11 crore, while Xavier Bartlett was bought for INR 80 lakh during the IPL 2025 auction.

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Stoinis stars with the bat in Crucial Chase

In the match between Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Stars, Marcus Stoinis played a crucial role for the Stars after they were in deep trouble at 14/3 while chasing a target of 150.

Coming under pressure, Stoinis anchored the innings brilliantly, scoring 62 off 48 balls, including 10 fours, at a strike rate of 129.17.

He shared a match-winning partnership of 132 runs with Dan Lawrence, which stabilized the innings and put the Stars in a dominant position.

Stoinis’ composure and ability to consistently find boundaries were instrumental in helping the Melbourne Stars successfully chase the target.

Bartlett’s bowling masterclass falls short

On the other hand, Xavier Bartlett had a stellar performance with the ball for Brisbane Heat, proving why Punjab Kings got him for INR 80 lakh in the IPL 2025 auction.

Bartlett bowled a brilliant spell, finishing with figures of 4-10 in his four overs with an economy rate of just 2.50.

He struck twice on the power play to shake up the Stars’ top order, then dismissed the dangerous Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell.

However, by the time he got those crucial wickets, the Melbourne Stars were already marching towards victory, rendering Bartlett’s remarkable effort in vain.

Melbourne Stars defeat Brisbane Heat to end losing streak

The Melbourne Stars made the most of the favorable conditions, and Mark Steketee’s early goals left the Brisbane Heat struggling.

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Max Bryant’s unbeaten 77 off 48 balls took the Heat to 149/7, with Steketee shining for the Stars with figures of 2/42.

Chasing the target, the Stars recovered from a poor start thanks to a 132-run partnership between Marcus Stoinis (62) and Daniel Lawrence (64*).

Their efforts secured a 5-wicket win, ending the Stars’ 8-match losing streak despite Xavier Bartlett’s impressive 4/10.

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