MI London concluded their Men's Hundred 2026 campaign with a narrow two-run victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston, though the result was not enough to secure a spot in the playoffs. Despite finishing their final league fixture with a win, MI London ended the tournament in fourth place. Although they finished level on points with Manchester Super Giants and Sunrisers Leeds, their inferior net run-rate ultimately eliminated them from the competition. The Sunrisers claimed the third position after the Super Giants’ place in the Eliminator was confirmed earlier in the day following Welsh Fire’s loss to London Spirit.
Tasked with restricting Birmingham Phoenix to 98 runs or lower to improve their net run-rate and potentially qualify, MI London initially put themselves in a strong position by reducing the hosts to 23/3. Sikandar Raza claimed the early wicket of Joe Clarke, followed by Richard Gleeson, who dismissed Mitchell Owen and Laurie Evans in consecutive deliveries. However, a 58-run partnership between Joe Weatherley, who scored 42 off 31 balls, and Sean Dickson revived the Phoenix innings. Although captain Sam Curran eventually removed Dickson, the Phoenix managed to surpass the 98-run target, effectively ending MI London’s qualification hopes.
Despite the elimination, the match remained a competitive contest. After Phoenix lost both Weatherley and Donovan Ferreira, Jordan Thompson and Rehan Ahmed pushed the chase toward the final balls. With 13 runs needed from the final five deliveries, Trent Boult held his nerve, executing perfect yorkers to secure a two-run win for the visitors. The defeat marked Birmingham Phoenix’s seventh consecutive loss, leaving them at the bottom of the table.
Batting first, MI London posted a total of 157/6. Nicholas Pooran top-scored with 36, supported by Jason Roy’s 26. While the team experienced a mid-innings slump, a late 33-run partnership between Ollie Sykes and Tom Curran helped bolster their total. For Birmingham Phoenix, Rehan Ahmed and Chris Wood each picked up two wickets. In the final standings, the victory served only as a consolation for MI London.
James Vince pressed on with regular boundaries while Pooran gave Tom Helm a brutal introduction with a four and a six.
Helm castled Vince off the last ball of the Powerplay, sending down a clever slower delivery.
