Steve Smith has advised his Sydney Sixers teammate Nic Maddinson to keep watching his landmark Twenty20 innings over and over again.

The 23-year-old left-hander looms as a key player in Wednesday’s Big Bash League final against Perth Scorchers in Canberra.

Maddinson is coming off a franchise-high score of 85 off 48 balls in Saturday’s semi-final win over the Adelaide Strikers.

Normally an opener, Maddinson came in at No.3 and smashed seven fours and five sixes in his man-of-the-match winning innings.

His innings against the Strikers certainly caught Smith’s attention.

“I thought the way Nic Maddinson played was outstanding,” Smith told AAP on Tuesday.

“I text him after the game and told him to make sure he watches that batting innings over and over again.

“I thought he played brilliantly without taking a risk and I think that’s an innings he can continue to look back on and give him some inspiration to know that he can do that.”

Maddinson held the Sixers’ previous highest individual score of 84 not out off 54 balls in their season-opener against the Melbourne Renegades.

However, in his other seven BBL innings this season, Maddinson’s highest score was just 29.

Maddinson has played two T20 internationals, rattling off 34 off 16 balls on debut against India, but for all his undoubted talent, he has been dogged by inconsistency.

International commitments have prevented Smith playing for the Sixers this season, but he said he had watched all of their games.

Despite not turning out in magenta this season, Smith would still be eligible to play for the Sixers in the Champions League later this year, unless his Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals also qualify.