The Manchester Super Giants secured their place in the men’s championship match of The Hundred by overcoming SunRisers Leeds by a margin of 20 runs in the eliminator held at The Kia Oval. Their victory set up a showdown with the Trent Rockets in the final at Lord's. A massive 114‑run partnership between opening batters Paul Walter and Heinrich Klaasen laid the foundation for the Super Giants’ imposing total.
Walter, who smashed 80 runs off just 46 balls, and Klaasen, who added a blistering 63 from only 26 deliveries, combined for a partnership that featured an astonishing 13 sixes. Their aggressive on‑slaught propelled the side to 186 for 4 in their allotted 100 balls, a score that proved too much for the opposition.
SunRisers attempted a comeback thanks to solid contributions from Harry Brook and Ryan Rickelton. Brook struck 49 runs from 31 balls, while Rickelton remained unbeaten on 54 off 34 deliveries, giving Leeds a glimmer of hope.
However, the Super Giants’ bowlers, led by the incisive spell of Josh Tongue, who claimed four wickets for just 26 runs, dismantled the Leeds batting line‑up. Tongue’s disciplined bowling against a powerful top order effectively ended Leeds’ 2026 Hundred campaign and booked Manchester’s ticket to the Sunday final at Lord’s, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket at 6 p.m. SunRisers began the innings brightly when Brydon Carse dismissed the in‑form Tim Seifert with the second ball of the match.
Seifert, who had erupted for 80 off 40 balls against the same opponents three days earlier, fell early, putting Leeds under immediate pressure. Jos Buttler, the Super Giants’ captain, steadied his side with a quick 33 off 20 balls, forming a useful fifty‑run partnership with Walter that helped restore momentum before the explosive Walter‑Klaasen stand took over. Leeds’ opening batsman Mitch Marsh made an aggressive start, hitting boundaries off Gus Atkinson’s first five deliveries.
His momentum was halted when Tongue lured him into a mistimed top‑edge, resulting in a dismissal. Shortly after, skipper Zak Crawley fell for six runs, trapped in front by Tongue’s precise bowling. These early wickets prevented Leeds from building a sustained partnership.
The middle order attempted to revive the chase. Brook and Rickelton forged an 81‑run partnership that briefly revived Leeds’ chances. Brook, however, was denied a rapid fifty when he was given out leg‑before‑wicket to Sonny Baker, who finished with figures of 2 for 39.
Replays suggested the ball was outside the line of off‑stump, but Leeds had exhausted their review quota, leaving the decision final. Leeds continued to lose wickets at regular intervals. Dan Lawrence and Matt Revis were both dismissed after taking just two and four runs respectively, each caught out brilliantly by Leus du Plooy and Tim Seifert. The combination of Tongue’s pace and the spin of Liam Dawson further crumbled Leeds’ batting, culminating in a comfortable 20‑run victory for Manchester.
After the match, Super Giants captain Jos Buttler spoke to Sky Sports Cricket, expressing his satisfaction: “I’m really happy. So many players stepped up at crucial moments. Tim Seifert has been in unbelievable form, so losing him early was disappointing, but Paul Walter has been incredible – he was the backbone of the innings and showed what he can do. All round with the ball we were great, finding ways to take wickets.
Our Achilles heel at the start of the tournament was probably our catching, but we took some great catches. Trent Rockets are a top side. They’ve got into the final because they’ve been the form side throughout the tournament. We’re in a good rhythm, but they’ve been able to rest up and prepare well.
We’ll find out who wins Sunday night.” The Super Giants will now face the Trent Rockets in the men’s final at Lord’s on Sunday, 16 August. The women’s final is scheduled for 2:15 p.m., followed by the men’s contest at 6 p.m., both broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket. Fans can also stream the matches and additional Hundred content on the NOW platform.
The stage is set for an exciting climax to the season, with both teams eager to claim the coveted title.