Daniel Sams floored after being brutally hit on helmet by Sam Curran's short ball in BBL

A scary moment occurred during the Big Bash League 2025-26 match between Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers when Daniel Sams was hit on the helmet by a short ball from Sam Curran. The incident took place at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Friday, January 16, leaving Sams down on the pitch.

David Warner scored an unbeaten 110 off 65 balls to power Sydney Thunder to a strong total of 189/5 in the Sydney Smash at the SCG. However, he did not get support from the other batters, as none of them crossed 30. Sam Curran was the pick of the bowlers for the Sixers with figures of 3/28 from four overs.

Daniel Sams Hit on Helmet After Sam Curran’s Short Ball

Sam Curran bowled a sharp short ball to Daniel Sams on the fifth delivery of the 20th over. The delivery surprised Sams, and he took his eyes off the ball while trying to defend.

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The ball first hit Sams on the glove and then deflected onto the lower part of his helmet near the chin. He lost balance and fell onto his back as the ball dropped just behind the stumps.

Curran and David Warner quickly ran towards him to check if he was okay. The team physio and doctor came onto the field soon after to carry out the mandatory concussion test.

Sams stayed calm during the check and showed no signs of serious injury. After passing the concussion assessment, he put his helmet back on and smashed the next ball for six. However, he was dismissed on the final ball of the innings.

Ouch!

Thankfully Dan Sams is alright after this incident at the SCG. #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/bTv4SOqzJG

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 16, 2026

Daniel Sams Ruled Out After Concussion, Nathan McAndrew Named Substitute

Daniel Sams was declared to have no further role in the match after being assessed for concussion. The Thunder confirmed that he remains under medical observation following the incident.

Nathan McAndrew was brought into the game as the concussion substitute for Sydney Thunder, officially replacing Sams for the remainder of the contest.

Nathan McAndrew is on the field as a concussion sub for Daniel Sams #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/uTnYiOX2FP

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 16, 2026

David Warner Leads Thunder’s Charge After Strong Start at the SCG

Thunder started quickly after being asked to bat. David Warner and Matthew Gilkes attacked from the start and took the score to 49 without loss in the powerplay. Mitchell Starc later broke the opening stand by dismissing Gilkes for 12.

Warner continued to dominate the innings and reached his half-century in just 25 balls. Sam Konstas struggled at number three and fell cheaply, while Sam Billings added 14 before getting out. Nic Maddinson then joined Warner and helped push the scoring rate.

The innings gained momentum during the Power Surge, where Thunder collected 38 runs in two overs. Warner brought up his second century of the season off 61 balls and added 84 runs with Maddinson, who scored 26. Daniel Sams finished with a quick 10 off four balls.

For the Sixers, Sam Curran was the standout bowler with figures of 3/28. Mitchell Starc, Jack Edwards, and Ben Manenti picked up one wicket each.

Also read: Mitchell Starc absolutely destroyed by David Warner on BBL return after 11 years