Sydney Thunder book their berth in the final after beating Adelaide Strikers

Congrats to both @ThunderBBL teams for making it to the @BBL finals. @Russell12A @stafanie20 keep flying the flag
— Darren Sammy (@darrensammy88) January 21, 2016

Game over. The Sydney Thunder win by 8 wickets. A special performance from Usman Khawaja (104 off 59) and they're in the #BBL05 Final
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

THUNDER WIN! What a day for the club, both teams into the #BBLFinal! That is for every member of the #ThunderNation Bring on Sunday!
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) January 21, 2016

Fittingly, Khawaja hits the winnings runs off Adil Rashid as Sydney Thunder book their spot in the final.

100 FOR UZ! Brings up the century with a six. What an innings! #ThunderNation #BBL05 pic.twitter.com/DkgSt0euRJ
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) January 21, 2016

100 for Khawaja. That's an incredible innings, almost chanceless. He's taken this game away from us, credit where credit's due #BBLSemis
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

#StatAttack No team has ever come first in the @BBL season& won. Only ONE team has finished first & made the final (@ScorchersBBL in #BBL01)
— TEN Sport (@tensporttv) January 21, 2016

HUNDRED! Khawaja gets to his hundred with a six over square leg. It is his second hundred in his last three matches for Thunder.

Under the radar, Henry Nicholls has crept upto 26 while Khawaja is still batting on 93. Thunder need 20 from the last four overs.

Big over for the Thunder, 16 off it. Going to be tough from here. Rashid back on #BBLSemis #BBL05
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

FOUR! Uzzie pulls one fine and he's into the nineties. Thunder 2-126. #ThunderNation #BBL05
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) January 21, 2016

Despite playing in only his third match, Khawaja is the fourth-highest run scorer in the current edition of the BBL.

Not going all our way on the field at the moment, but another incredible turnout from the #strikeforce! pic.twitter.com/DjyjEldzii
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

Really enjoying @Uz_Khawaja and his stroke play .. Awesome #BBL05
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) January 21, 2016

Khawaja right now can do anything in the world what he wants to THE MAGICIAN MAN! #BBL05 #BBLSemis pic.twitter.com/f9fcbyXWei
— HoldingWilleyCricket (@holdingwilley) January 21, 2016

Many congrats Aussie Uzzie Khawaja on the fastest 50 by a @ThunderBBL player. Just 24 balls. #BBL05 #BBLSemis
— Malcolm Conn (@malcolmconn) January 21, 2016

WICKET: Rashid!! Hussey is gone! Tries to reverse sweep, edges to Ludes. Thunder 2/87 after 8.5 #StrikersvThunder #BBL05 #BBLSemis
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

Oh so close! Mr Cricket nearly edges one first ball. Good over though. Just 4 runs and the wicket from it. Thunder 1/57 after 5 overs #BBL05
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

WICKET: There it is, Watson gone! Caught at short cover, he walks for 7. Thunder 1/57 after 4.5 overs #BBL05 #StrikersvThunder #BBLSemis
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

Usman Khawaja's blazing fifty helps Sydney Thunder to get off to a flier: 2 . . 2 4 . 4 2 4 . 4 . . 4 . 4 6 4 4 4 . 1 1

Yes Rash!!! Serious striking 👊👊! #BBLSemis Adelaide to win now!
— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) January 21, 2016

14 off 3 ... @AdilRashid03 #BigBash #FromYorkshire
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 21, 2016

Strikers post 7-159 from their 20 overs. Enough?

Rashid does it with the bat as well! Adds some invaluable runs for his team as he scores 14 off last 3 balls of the match 4 4 6

Rash goes 4,4! 1 ball left, all important runs.

WICKET! A top slower ball from C-Mack fools Ross and he's bowled for 47. Strikers 7-144 #ThunderNation #BBLSemis
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) January 21, 2016

Wicket: Bowled. A great cameo from Ness (27 off 15) but he has to go. @StrikersBBL 6/142 with one over to go #BBLSemis #BBL05
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

Big over!! Rossy finishes with a boundary, 18 runs off it! @StrikersBBL 5/136 with 12 balls left. C'mon! #StrikersvThunder #BBL05 #BBLSemis
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

Strikers 5-118 with three to bowl.

WICKET! Lehmann skies one off Watson and Green does the rest. Gone for 14 with the Strikers 5-106 (15.2)

All yours, Usman! https://t.co/C4zkRGhYKf #BBLSemis pic.twitter.com/oSCpFrZsad
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 21, 2016

#Sweepology! https://t.co/C4zkRGhYKf #BBLSemis pic.twitter.com/M746H2yKzt
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 21, 2016

So halfway mark, Strikers under pressure at 4/66. Lehmann joins Rossy in the middle.

Great over from Greeny. The key wicket of Hodge and just five runs. Strikers 4-66 at the halfway point.

WICKET! GREENY! Beats Hodge all ends up and has him out bowled for 14.

We're in @TrentWoodhill 's suite watching the @BBL semi...so happy BBL is back on in the evening! 💚 #BBL05 pic.twitter.com/djo0X5oVYF
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) January 21, 2016

SIX! 6! The skipper looks to break the shackles with a big hit into the east 2nd tier! Strikers 3/59

Strikers will be rapt if the Thunder keep up this brilliant India impersonation.
— Theo Doropoulos (@TheoDrop) January 21, 2016

So after the powerplay, @StrikersBBL are 3/44. Lots of tension around Adelaide Oval! #BBLSemis #BBL05
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

WICKET! Head who was heading towards big innings OUT. McKay gets the huge breakthrough with Head finding Rohrer at cover. Gone for 23 with the Strikers 3-42 in the 6th over.

Hodge is yet to score his 1st run and Head is already on 15 off 10 balls.

Yes Trav! Couple of boundaries and 9 runs from the 4th over, @StrikersBBL 2/22 #BBLSemis #StrikersvThunder #BBL05
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

Good over from Mackay, Strikers 2/13 after 3 overs with Head & Brad Hodge (new batsman) looking to establish themselves.

An absolutely packed crowd here at the Adelaide Oval. And they were very quiet when that wicket fell. #ThunderNation #BBLSemis
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) January 21, 2016

WICKET! Ludeman gone! Brilliant catch by Andre Russell as he takes a beauty running back to dismiss Ludeman for 2. Strikers 2-11 after 2.2 overs

Great over from Watson, key wicket first up. Strikers 1-11 after 2.

Travis Head is the new batsman on the crease. Mahela Jayawardene's loose shot is the reason behind Head's arrival.

WICKET! Ouch, Watson strikes and Mahela is gone caught behind for 7. Strikers 1/8 after 1.4 overs

SIX! Watson puts one on Mahela's pads and whack! Nice crowd catch in the western stand. @StrikersBBL 0/8 #StrikersvThunder #BBLSemis #BBL05
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016

Here we go #Strikeforce. Ludes on strike, Dre Russ with the first over. It's simple tonight. Win, and we've got a home FINAL #BBLSemis
— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 21, 2016