Thursday, 14 February 2019:

STEVE O'KEEFE of Australia bowls during Test match between Bangladesh and Australia at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

For veteran Sydney Sixers spinner Steve O'Keefe, letting go of his international hopes has been the key to striking rare form in the BBL.

O'Keefe has been a surprise packet for the Sixers this season, having snared 19 wickets at 18.21 to sit equal-fourth on the BBL wickets tally ahead of Friday night's semi-final clash with Melbourne Renegades at Marvel Stadium.

At 34, the left-arm spinner has vastly exceeded his performance in any of his previous BBL campaigns.

Focusing solely on domestic duties has been a big help for O'Keefe, who has been frozen out of the Australian team since his shock Test call-up to Bangladesh in 2017.

"(Last year) I was probably worried more about four-day cricket and Test cricket because for me, that was sort of the pinnacle," he told reporters in Melbourne.

"I think this year I've had much more focus on (knowing) in the twilight years of my career, this is what I am going to play and that dream of playing for Australia might be over.

"I've put all my energies and focus into playing it and I think as soon as you block out that other white noise and just focus on that game that's coming up in front of you, it's tended to have better results."

Acknowledging the fickle nature of T20 cricket, O'Keefe noted there were no guarantees he could sustain his renaissance beyond this season.

Having played in the Sixers' surprise triumph in 2011-12, O'Keefe is eager to strike while the iron is hot and help lead his team to a second title.

"We'd love to win it," he said.

"One thing that drives us, or me in particular, is that each time our team comes out, we're last with the bookies.

"I think that was one of the first questions we got asked when we played the Scorchers (in the 2011-12 final).

"To make the top four is a bit of a feather in our cap but no one really remembers who finishes second, third or fourth. It's all about who's won it and how many you've won."

AAP