The short version
- MI London lost their knockout hopes by two runs to Birmingham Phoenix, failing to secure the necessary net run-rate advantage over third-placed Sunrisers Leeds.
- Welsh Fire were eliminated after a six-run defeat to London Spirit in Cardiff, finishing fifth despite a late batting surge led by Jordan Cox.
- Trent Rockets await the winner of the Eliminator match between Manchester Super Giants and Sunrisers Leeds in the final at Lord's this Sunday.
The defending champions of The Hundred men’s competition have been eliminated from contention, ending their reign as three-time winners. MI London, formerly known as Oval Invincibles, secured a narrow two-run victory over Birmingham Phoenix in their final group stage match at Edgbaston. However, the win was insufficient to alter their standing in the tournament table. To advance to the Eliminator round, MI London needed to defeat Phoenix by a margin of 59 runs or more. This specific target was required to leapfrog Sunrisers Leeds on net run-rate and secure a spot in the knockout stages.
Instead, MI London finished fourth in the standings. They ended the group phase level on points with both Manchester Super Giants and Sunrisers Leeds. The latter two teams will now face each other in the Eliminator match scheduled for Friday at The Oval. The winner of that contest will proceed to challenge Trent Rockets, who sit atop the table, in the final at Lord’s this Sunday. For MI London, the mathematical possibility of advancing vanished during Phoenix’s chase. After 66 balls of the second innings, when Phoenix reached 99 runs for four wickets, the three-time champions were officially out of the tournament.
The match itself was a tense affair defined by early setbacks and a resilient finish from both sides. MI London batted first after losing the toss, posting a total of 157 for six in their allotted 100 balls. Nicholas Pooran provided the primary impetus with a rapid 36 runs off just 21 deliveries. Jason Roy contributed 26 runs, while James Vince added a brisk 22 from 12 balls. The innings concluded strongly thanks to unbeaten contributions from Ollie Sykes, who scored 23, and Tom Curran, who added 17 runs from nine balls. This set a target of 158 for Birmingham Phoenix.
Birmingham Phoenix began their chase poorly, losing early wickets that briefly raised hopes for MI London. Richard Gleeson struck twice in quick succession, reducing the visitors’ chances by restricting Phoenix to below the critical threshold of 98 runs needed for MI London to advance. At one point, Phoenix were struggling at 23 for three. However, a partnership between Joe Weatherley and Sean Dickson shifted the momentum decisively. Weatherley scored 42 runs from 31 balls, while Dickson contributed 23 before being trapped leg-before-wicket by captain Sam Curran.
With the Eliminator dream mathematically extinguished, MI London required six wickets for just 18 runs to salvage any remaining pride in the contest. Jordan Thompson and Rehan Ahmed guided Phoenix through the final overs. Trent Boult delivered excellent death bowling to wrap up the campaign with a narrow win. Birmingham Phoenix finished bottom of the table with only one victory from eight matches, but their performance in this final game secured MI London’s elimination.
Earlier on the same day, Welsh Fire were also eliminated from the competition following a six-run defeat by London Spirit in Cardiff. The hosts’ prospects were slim even before the match began due to a poor net run-rate of -1.001. London Spirit set a target of 132 runs after being restricted to 131 for eight in their own innings. Jonny Bairstow led the Spirit batting with 34 runs from 19 balls, while James Coles and Jamie Overton added 29 and 21 respectively. Chris Woakes and Marco Jansen took two wickets each for Welsh Fire.
Welsh Fire appeared to be on course for a routine victory as Joe Root and Jordan Cox built a 47-run partnership. Root departed after scoring 31 runs at a run-a-ball rate, but Cox accelerated to reach 44 from 28 balls. This left Welsh Fire needing just 15 runs to win from eight balls with six wickets in hand. The collapse came quickly as Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Rachin Ravindra fell in succession. Marco Jansen needed a six off the final ball to level the score but was caught by Jamie Overton in the deep after hitting David Willey’s delivery over mid-wicket.
Welsh Fire finished their campaign in fifth place with four wins from eight games, while London Spirit ended seventh with three victories. The competition now pauses briefly before the knockout stages commence on Friday. Both men’s and women’s Eliminator matches will be held at The Oval. In the women’s competition, Sunrisers Leeds will face Southern Brave starting at 14:15 BST. The men’s Eliminator between Manchester Super Giants and Sunrisers Leeds follows at 18:00. All final matches are scheduled for Sunday at Lord’s, where Trent Rockets await their opponents.
The elimination of MI London marks a significant shift in the tournament landscape. Having dominated the previous three editions, their exit underscores the competitive balance of The Hundred format. Net run-rate proved to be the decisive factor, highlighting how closely contested the group stage was among the top teams. With the finals approaching, attention now turns to whether Manchester Super Giants or Sunrisers Leeds can overcome Trent Rockets in the championship decider.
Coverage of the upcoming matches will be available through BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, and the BBC Sport website and app. Fans can follow ball-by-ball commentary as the tournament reaches its climax. The results from Friday’s Eliminator matches will determine the final lineup for Sunday’s showdowns at Lord’s, concluding the 2026 edition of The Hundred.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC Sport↗MI London and Welsh Fire eliminated from knockouts
