SYDNEY: Australia’s Big Bash Twenty20 League is set to kick off on December 7, with a rare mid-week final scheduled to conclude the 13th season, according to organisers.

The tournament will begin with a match between the Brisbane Heat and the Melbourne Stars at the Gabba, followed by a pause from December 14–18 for Australia’s opening Test against Pakistan in Perth.

Boxing Day and New Year’s Day will feature double-headers. The finals series will consist of four games, leading up to the grand final on January 24, which will be played mid-week, a rarity for the league.

“We’re incredibly pleased and excited with the BBL fixtures we’ve been able to deliver this season,” BBL general manager Alistair Dobson said when the 44-match series was announced.

Last season’s champions, the Perth Scorchers, will defend their title after clinching an unprecedented fifth crown by defeating the Heat.

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