MI London entered the final men’s group fixture with their hopes of a fourth straight Hundred crown hanging by a thread, even though they managed to edge out bottom‑placed Birmingham Phoenix in a nail‑biting encounter. The match at Edgbaston unfolded under the unusual spectacle of a solar eclipse, adding a dramatic backdrop to a game that would decide whether the London side could clinch the third spot behind SunRisers Leeds and keep their playoff dreams alive. From the outset, the visitors knew the exact margin they needed: a win by at least 59 runs to overtake Leeds on net run rate and secure the home‑ground advantage for the knockout stage. After winning the toss, Phoenix elected to field, forcing MI London to set a competitive total.
They responded with 157 for 6, a score that would have been sufficient if they could hold Phoenix under 98 runs. Early breakthroughs in the powerplay gave them a glimmer of hope – Sikandar Raza produced a tidy spell, clean‑bowling Joe Clarke, while Richard Gleeson dismissed Mitchell Owen and Laurie Evans with back‑to‑back deliveries, propelling Gleeson to the top of the tournament’s wicket‑taking chart with 14 dismissals. Phoenix, however, steadied their chase through a resilient partnership between Jake Weatherley and Sean Dickson.
The partnership nudged the total to 99, thanks in part to a wide from Tom Curran, and the narrow margin meant MI London’s hopes of a comfortable qualification evaporated. Dickson, who had struck 23 off 17 balls, fell lbw to Sam Curran.
A quick wicket fell when Weatherley (42 off 31) was caught deep, and the momentum shifted. Jordan Thompson (23 not out off 13) and Rehan Ahmed (23 off 11) attempted to rebuild, but Trent Boult held his nerve, delivering precise yorkers in the death overs to clinch a two‑run win for Phoenix. Earlier in the innings, MI London had glimpses of promise. Will Jacks got off to a solid start before being caught by Chris Wood after a mistimed slice to deep point.
James Vince looked in fine touch, and Nicholas Pooran announced his arrival with a rapid 10‑run burst off two balls, only to be dismissed by Tom Helm’s deceptive back‑of‑the‑hand slower ball. Rehan Ahmed then imposed his authority, outfoxing Sam Curran with a well‑timed googly and conceding just three runs from his first ten deliveries, including a string of six consecutive dot balls. The match also featured several notable cameo performances. Raza contributed a quickfire 17 off 13, while debutant Ollie Sykes added 23 not out from 14 balls, and Tom Curran chipped in with 17 not out off nine deliveries.
Despite these efforts, MI London’s total never seemed sufficient to force the miracle they required. With the reigning champions now out, SunRisers Leeds will face Manchester Super Giants on Friday evening at The Kia Oval, a clash that will determine who earns the right to play the final at Lord’s against the Trent Rockets.
Gleeson summed up the disappointment: "Winning five games and still missing out when two other sides have the same record is frustrating, but it underlines the depth of the competition. You have to be at your best in every phase – a 30‑run surge or a 50‑run collapse can change everything." The same fate befell Welsh Fire and London Spirit’s men’s teams, mirroring the struggles of their female counterparts, who also failed to reach the eliminator at The Oval and the final at Lord’s.
Fire’s chances of qualification were technically alive, but would have required an unprecedented margin of victory, given their narrow wins and heavy defeats throughout the season. Nevertheless, the Spirit displayed fighting spirit in front of a vocal Cardiff crowd, defending 131 runs to secure a third win of the campaign. After winning the toss, Fire chose to bowl, and Chris Woakes immediately made an impact, curbing the powerful opening pair of Jonny Bairstow and Lhuandre Pretorius.
This early pressure allowed Lockie Ferguson to claim a wicket after a dropped catch. The powerplay ended at 34 for 1, with Bairstow on 22 off 11.
Twenty‑five balls later, the score read 59 for 3, with Woakes having removed Bairstow for 34 off 19, while Marco Jansen bowled ten dot balls in his first fifteen deliveries. London Spirit’s leading run‑scorers, Liam Livingstone and Dewald Brevis, both fell cheaply, and James Coles, who has been finding form late in the tournament, managed only 29 before a towering Jansen (6ft 8in) leapt at long‑off to take a catch for Tom Kohler‑Cadmore. Jamie Overton’s long‑handle delivery could not prevent a modest total of 131‑8, with both Woakes and Jansen conceding less than a run per ball. When Fire batted, they lost Matt Short immediately, but Phil Salt and Joe Root steadied the innings, suggesting that a few wickets in hand would be enough to chase a moderate target.
At 90 for 2 after 69 balls, with Jordan Cox accelerating, the outlook seemed positive. However, the partnership unraveled as Root (31 off 31) and Cox (44 off 28) fell, and Kohler‑Cadmore, Ravindra and Jansen were dismissed in the final eight balls, leaving Fire just one run short of victory. They ultimately lost by six runs.
The Hundred will conclude with the finals on Sunday, 16 August, and fans can stream the action contract‑free on NOW. The tournament has showcased the fine margins that separate triumph from disappointment, with every run and wicket carrying significant weight in the race for the coveted Lord’s final.