Brisbane Heat 258 for 2 (Wildermuth 110*, Renshaw 102) beat Perth Scorchers 257 for 6 (Allen 79, Connolly 77, Bartlett 2-44) by eight wickets
Perth Scorchers pummelled an attack led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, but Matt Renshaw and Jack Wildermuth responded with remarkable power-hitting to lift Brisbane Heat to the greatest run chase in BBL history and the third-highest in T20s overall.
In an astonishing batter-dominated game where a slew of records were broken, Renshaw and Wildermuth produced belligerent centuries as they combined for the highest BBL partnership of 213 runs.
Renshaw smashed 102 off 51 balls, while Wildermuth finished 110 not out from 54 balls as Heat clinched a miraculous victory with one ball to spare. They overhauled Scorchers' 257 for 6, which - fleetingly as it turned out - had been the second-highest ever BBL score. Both teams whacked 18 sixes each - the previous highest by a team in the competition's history was 17.
The previous record chase in the BBL was Adelaide Strikers running down 230 against Hobart Hurricanes in January 2023.
Scorchers had seemingly made a match-winning total on a very flat surface after Finn Allen and Cooper Connolly combined for 14 sixes.
Allen and Connolly traded massive blows in a second-wicket partnership of 142 off just 64 balls. Having earlier in the week received a maiden IPL deal, when Punjab Kings snapped him up for AUD 500,000, Connolly whacked his second straight half-century to start the season with 77 off 37 balls, while Allen struck 79 off 38.
All five of Heat's bowlers went for at least 11 an over with Afridi finishing with 1 for 49 from four overs, his figures taking a battering at the death. Heat's woes spiralled when skipper Nathan McSweeney injured his left ankle while dropping a high ball in the penultimate over.
With McSweeney unable to bat, Heat's near-impossible task was made even more difficult when Colin Munro fell on the first delivery of the chase to quick Jhye Richardson. Making his season debut having been training with Australia's Test squad, Richardson was later left exasperated when he had Renshaw caught off a no-ball on 20.
It proved incredibly costly with Renshaw teeing off and he was matched by Wildermuth, whose previous highest BBL score was just 31. They threw the bat effectively to rattle the normally disciplined Scorchers with Wildermuth receiving a life on 42 when he hit high in the sky only for skipper Ashton Turner to drop a straightforward chance.
Heat were on target at 131 for 1 at the halfway mark and powered into favouritism when they whacked 42 runs in the next two overs. Turner reverted to Connolly's left-arm spin in the 14th over and it worked with only six runs conceded, which included four extras.
But Renshaw was unstoppable and he unleashed an almighty celebration after his century off 48 balls. With Heat needing 47 off 27 balls, Renshaw was run-out after a mix-up turning back for the second run in a late twist.
Despite Max Bryant having to retire hurt after suffering a shoulder injury while running between the wickets, Wildermuth was not to be denied as he hit the winning runs to trigger bedlam around the ground.
No one could have predicted those surreal scenes after Scorchers' earlier fireworks.
Afridi started with the new ball and keen to make amends after his forgettable BBL debut against Melbourne Renegades, where he was removed from the attack for dangerous bowling. He could not find a consistent line and length, with his struggles underlined by a wayward delivery that swung wickedly down the leg side and to the boundary.
It was quick Xavier Bartlett who gave Heat a boost in the second over after Mitchell Marsh fell on the pull shot for 3.
But Connolly showed off his exquisite touch and got off the mark with a punch to the backward-point boundary. McSweeney surprisingly did not keep Afridi in the attack, preferring to utilise his experience for the latter overs given Heat are missing several first-choice quicks.
But the move backfired. Having not received the strike until the third over, Allen made up for lost time. His eyes lit up when left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, making his season debut, entered in the seventh over with Allen smashing a trio of sixes over the leg side - the latter blow clattering into the third tier.
Afridi returned in the ninth over but was left frustrated when Allen, on 44, hit high in the air with three fielders running in off the leg-side boundary only for Munro to spill low to the ground.
Connolly smashed Afridi over his head for six and another big blow into the crowd brought up his half-century off 27 balls. Allen also brought up his half-century in style as both batters swung mightily like they were playing baseball.
The fans in the crowd continued to be peppered as Melbourne Stars' all-time record score of 273 of 2 appeared under threat. Having gone past his previous highest T20 score of 66, Connolly finally holed out in the 12th over before Afridi picked up Allen to ensure Stars' record remained out of reach.
Scorchers easily powered past their previous best score of 229 for 7 and were sitting pretty at the game's halfway mark before Heat produced the most amazing chase ever seen in the BBL.
