The Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) began in 2015-16 and quickly became an important competition in women’s T20 cricket. It brought leading Australian and international players together across eight franchises and gave supporters a new title race each summer. Across its first eleven seasons, seven teams have lifted the trophy, and four have won it twice. No single club has controlled the competition for a long period. Instead, different teams have built successful campaigns through strong batting, effective bowling and key performances in finals. The results show a competition where titles have been shared widely, and where a small margin or one important performance has often shaped the final outcome. The season records also highlight memorable individual efforts, including high run totals, decisive bowling spells and players recognised for their work across the tournament overall.
Past Winners of the WBBL
WBBL|01 (2015-16): Sydney Thunder
Sydney Thunder won the first WBBL title after meeting local rivals Sydney Sixers in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Thunder had to chase 116, and they reached the target with three balls and three wickets remaining to win by three wickets. It was a close finish to the league’s first season and gave Thunder the honour of becoming its inaugural champion. Meg Lanning also had a standout season for Melbourne Stars, scoring 560 runs and earning Player of the Tournament. Her run tally set an early benchmark for batting in the new competition.
WBBL|02 (2016-17): Sydney Sixers
The Sixers claimed their first championship by defending a target of 124 against Perth Scorchers at the WACA Ground. Perth fell seven runs short, making it a tight final that went down to the closing stages. Sarah Aley played an important role with the ball and received the Player of the Final award. Meg Lanning again topped the run charts, continuing her strong contribution across the season. The Sixers’ victory gave them the second title in WBBL history and showed how a disciplined bowling effort could protect a modest total in a final.
WBBL|03 (2017-18): Sydney Sixers
Sydney Sixers carried their success into a second straight season and became the first team to win consecutive WBBL titles. In the final at Adelaide Oval, the Sixers bowled Perth Scorchers out for 99 and then completed the chase with nine wickets to spare. The result was a clear win after their earlier narrow final, with both the bowling attack and batting unit delivering when it mattered. Ellyse Perry scored 552 runs during the season, while Sarah Coyte starred in the final. The Sixers’ second title in a row established them as an early force in the competition.
WBBL|04 (2018-19): Brisbane Heat
Brisbane Heat ended the Sixers’ run of titles and won their first WBBL championship. In the final at Drummoyne Oval in Sydney, Brisbane chased the Sixers’ total in the second-last over and secured a three-wicket victory. Beth Mooney was named Player of the Final for her contribution to the winning effort. Ellyse Perry also had an outstanding individual season, scoring 778 runs, the highest individual tally in a WBBL season according to the supplied source. Brisbane’s win brought a new team onto the winners’ list and began a successful period for the Heat.
WBBL|05 (2019-20): Brisbane Heat
The Heat followed their first title with another strong campaign and became the next side to win consecutive championships. In the final at Allan Border Field in Brisbane, they chased Adelaide Strikers’ 161 and won by six wickets. Beth Mooney received Player of the Final for the second season in a row, underlining her importance in the team’s title defence. Adelaide also had a major individual performer in Sophie Devine, who scored 769 runs during the summer. Brisbane’s successful chase meant the Heat retained the trophy and joined the Sixers as a team with back-to-back titles.
WBBL|06 (2020-21): Sydney Thunder
The season was affected by COVID-19 and played around a Sydney hub, but Thunder produced a strong final performance to claim their second championship. At North Sydney Oval, they bowled Melbourne Stars out for 86 and then reached the target to win by seven wickets. Shabnim Ismail’s pace was decisive in the bowling effort, keeping the Stars from building a competitive total. The defeat remains Melbourne Stars’ only appearance in a WBBL final. Thunder’s victory gave them another title after their success in the inaugural season, although their two championships came several years apart.
WBBL|07 (2021-22): Perth Scorchers
Perth Scorchers won their first WBBL title in a home final at Perth Stadium. They set Adelaide Strikers a target of 147 and then defended it to secure a 12-run victory. A record WBBL final crowd of 15,511 watched the match, making the occasion a major moment for the home side. Marizanne Kapp produced an important all-round performance and helped Perth complete the breakthrough. The win added the Scorchers to the list of champions and showed that the trophy could move to a franchise that had not previously won the competition.
WBBL|08 (2022-23): Adelaide Strikers
Adelaide Strikers finally won their first WBBL championship after facing Sydney Sixers in the final at North Sydney Oval. The Strikers made 147 and defended that total to win by 10 runs. Deandra Dottin’s power was an important part of Adelaide’s campaign, while Ashleigh Gardner was named Player of the Tournament. The final required Adelaide to protect its score under pressure, and the team managed to keep the Sixers short of the target. The result brought the Strikers their first title and added another new champion to the competition’s history.
WBBL|09 (2023-24): Adelaide Strikers
Adelaide retained the trophy with another close final, this time against Brisbane Heat at Adelaide Oval. Defending 125, the Strikers held on for a three-run win in a tense finish. Leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington took the final honours and played an important part in the decider. Adelaide’s success made it the third franchise to win consecutive WBBL titles, following the Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat. Winning a second championship in a row confirmed that the Strikers could follow their first title with another successful season, rather than treating the earlier win as a one-off achievement.
WBBL|10 (2024-25): Melbourne Renegades
Melbourne Renegades claimed their first title after facing Brisbane Heat in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Renegades won by seven runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, with Hayley Matthews steering their effort in the decider. The result completed a turnaround after Melbourne had finished last the previous season. Their championship added another franchise to the list of WBBL winners and marked the first time the Renegades lifted the trophy. The season was a reminder that teams can move from a difficult campaign to a title-winning run, although the final itself was decided by a narrow margin.
WBBL|11 (2025-26): Hobart Hurricanes
Hobart Hurricanes won their first WBBL title by defeating Perth Scorchers in the final at Bellerive Oval. Perth scored 137, but Hobart completed the chase with eight wickets and five overs to spare. Lizelle Lee anchored the chase, while Georgia Wareham was named Player of the Tournament. The comfortable result gave Hobart its first championship and made the Hurricanes the seventh franchise to win the competition. Their victory continued the pattern of different teams reaching the top, with Perth finishing as runners-up after having won the title in 2021-22.
Teams With the Most WBBL Titles
Four franchises share the record for the most WBBL championships, with two titles each: Adelaide Strikers, Sydney Sixers, Brisbane Heat and Sydney Thunder. The Sixers won in 2016-17 and 2017-18, the Heat in 2018-19 and 2019-20, Thunder in 2015-16 and 2020-21, and the Strikers in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Three of these teams won their two titles in consecutive seasons, while Thunder’s championships came in different periods. Their records show that several teams have enjoyed successful runs, but none has built a long-lasting hold on the trophy.
Perth Scorchers, Melbourne Renegades and Hobart Hurricanes have each won one title, in 2021-22, 2024-25 and 2025-26 respectively. Melbourne Stars remain the only franchise to have reached a final without winning the trophy. Across the first eleven seasons, seven of the eight teams have become champions, while the title has changed hands often. The league’s winners list reflects a competition in which different teams have found ways to succeed, through strong seasons, individual contributions and performances under pressure in the final.
The WBBL’s history so far has been shaped by a broad spread of champions rather than one dominant franchise. Sydney Thunder won the inaugural title, the Sixers and Heat later secured back-to-back championships, and Adelaide followed with consecutive wins. Perth Scorchers, Melbourne Renegades and Hobart Hurricanes each added their first title to the list. Four teams have won twice, and Melbourne Stars are still waiting for their first championship after one final appearance. These results capture eleven seasons of changing fortunes, close finishes and different teams finding success at the right time.