'Shear madness': Disbelief over 'insane' late drama in Big Bash clash

Sydney Thunder have survived a stunning late blitz from Rashid Khan to beat Adelaide by three runs to leapfrog the Strikers to the top of the BBL table.

Coming to the crease with his side in dire straits at 7-118 and needing an unlikely 51 off the last four overs to haul in the Thunder's 5-168, Rashid (40 off 18 balls) launched a savage late counterattack in front of 41,414 fans.

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Rashid smoked three sixes in his thrilling knock before he was run out as he dropped his bat while desperately attempting a second run to retain strike, with five required off two balls.

"In the last five overs you have to go hard - you have to smash," Rashid said.

"We knew that (eastern boundary) side was shorter and you can easily get 30 off two overs, that was the plan.

"I did my best to get two runs but it didn't happen.

"I went too hard for it and that's why I dropped my bat at the end.With four then needed off the last delivery, Wes Agar attempted to ramp Chris Morris but missed and was then run out trying to sneak a bye.

"We thought we were just above par which was probably around 160-165," Thunder captain Callum Ferguson said."We know how talented they are throughout their batting order and we've seen Rash bat up the order at times as well.

"We knew the game wasn't over while he was at the crease."

Rashid played some insane shots, including a six over deep square leg from the seat of his pants.

The ridiculous display had fans and commentators in disbelief.

Thunder hold on in thrilling finish

Jake Weatherald (52) held things together superbly earlier after the Strikers started disastrously when Phil Salt (duck) and Matt Short (six) holed out cheaply before in-form Strikers captain Alex Carey feathered South African Morris to keeper Matt Gilkes for 19 to leave the Strikers reeling at 3-36 inside the powerplay.

When Jon Wells departed for 26, Adelaide were 4-99 but they remained an outside chance while Weatherald was in.

Weatherald clobbered leg-spinner Jono Cook for three sixes in the 10th over and crunched a free-hit six off Daniel Sims before holing out the next ball, lofting a slower ball to Chris Green at long on.

When impressive tweaker Arjun Nair (2-19) snared Cam Valente and Cam White in the space of three balls, the home side looked cooked before Rashid produced some late magic but it wasn't quite enough to maintain the Strikers' unbeaten record.

Earlier, Ferguson (73) and Usman Khawaja (63) shook off the early loss of Alex Hales (four) to spearhead the Thunder's innings.

Khawaja was sent packing courtesy of a brilliant piece of fielding from recently-retired Test paceman Peter Siddle (2-30) who retrieved a throw from Agar at point and, in one motion, produced a no-look reverse flick to catch the Thunder opener short.

Ferguson, now the tournament's leading run-scorer (229 at 57.25), smashed Rashid for back-to-back sixes before holing out to Wells attempting a third maximum before Siddle snared 2-3 in a masterful 20th over to give the Strikers a sniff.