Daniel Hughes and Moises Henriques inspired Sydney Sixers to an extraordinary run chase at Optus Stadium to stun defending champions Perth Scorchers and lift into the coveted second place on the ladder.

Sixers appeared to be cruising to victory at 181 for 3 with two overs left, but then collapsed until skipper Henriques kept his cool in a nerve-jangling final over.

Needing 13 runs off the final over, Henriques blasted a six off opposite number Aaron Hardie on the fourth ball and then hit a boundary off the last ball – with one required – to get Sixers over the line in dramatic fashion.

Sixers will face table-toppers Brisbane Heat in Friday’s Qualifier on the Gold Coast with both teams having the safety net of a double chance. It was a costly defeat for Scorchers, who will host an elimination final against surging Adelaide Strikers on Saturday.

Laurie Evans had signed off from his BBL stint in style with 72 off 34 balls to ignite Scorchers in the high stakes blockbuster between the competition’s powerhouse teams. Scorchers’ total of 197 for 4 seemed enough on their favoured ground, but Hughes blasted 74 off 43 balls to leave the match on a knife’s edge.

Hughes holed out to Hardie in the 15th over with Sixers still needing 52 runs for victory. The momentum changed when Henriques blasted 10 runs in two deliveries off seamer Andrew Tye in the 17th over as Sixers edged ahead.

In another late twist, with Sixers needing 17 off 12 balls, wicketkeeper Josh Inglis held onto a spectacular catch running back to the boundary to dismiss Jordan Silk and ignite a collapse where the visitors lost four wickets in the span of eight balls.

But Henriques stepped up and Sixers had the added satisfaction of ending a poor recent record to Scorchers, who had won six of the past seven matches between the teams.

Scorchers’ bid for a historic three-peat now has to go through the long way and they face the tough task of replacing the dynamic middle-order batter Evans, who departs Perth tomorrow for the UAE’s ILT20.

Scorchers had elected to bat in warm conditions with players undoubtedly grateful of a later start time compared to the last match at the ground between Scorchers-Heat played in the early afternoon amid oppressive heat.

Scorchers will need to address their top-order woes which again reared. Opener Sam Whiteman has not got going this season, but hit a first-ball boundary and looked fluent playing traditional shots down the ground.

He became bogged down attempting cavalier strokes, as disaster struck for opening partner Steve Eskinazi who was forced to retire hurt due to a finger injury.

Eskinazi sought medical attention at the end of the third over before having a life after resumption when Moises Henriques dropped a chance at midwicket. But Eskinazi immediately trudged off the field with Whiteman dismissed on the next delivery after being strangled down the leg side from recalled seamer Jackson Bird.

It brought together Josh Inglis and Aaron Hardie, who have been used to rescuing Scorchers and they enjoy batting together. Inglis made a statement by smashing offspinner Todd Murphy for a first ball boundary in the eighth over, but he fell later in the over after a faint edge was well juggled by wicketkeeper Josh Philippe.

But it brought to the crease in-form Evans, who started cautiously before electing to take the power surge in the 12th over. Evans has stated his liking for taking the power surge early in his innings and he proved why by pummelling left-arm seamer Hayden Kerr for 28 runs in the 13th over.

Evans was all over Kerr’s rather innocuous pace as he peppered the boundaries and feasted on deliveries whether pitched up or short. Along the way he motored past his half-century off just 22 balls to earn strong applause from the 33, 412 crowd.

Evans and Hardie smashed 41 runs in the most profitable power surge this season by any team. Evans continued on his merry way until holing out in the penultimate over where he walked waving his bat to a standing ovation from his ever-growing legion of fans.

The jubilant Scorchers faithful were in a mood for celebration, but the night ended in despair and unfamiliar heartbreak for them.