Forecast high temperatures have forced Cricket Australia to delay the start of Saturday’s Big Bash League final at the WACA Ground by half an hour.

Temperatures are forecast to hit 42 degrees on Saturday in Perth and the Twenty20 final between the Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers will now start at 5pm local time (2000 AEDT).

CA and WACA say while air temperatures are unlikely to change much in the extra half-hour the later start time will “minimise the exposure at peak temperature times”.

The forecast temperatures haven’t put off fans with tickets for the game being sold out in 16 minutes on Wednesday morning.