By Dwayne Ferreira.
Sunrisers Leeds: 143 all out in 99 balls
Mitchell Marsh 41 off 27, Tom Alsop 31 off 18, Ryan Rickelton 25 off 16; Richard Gleeson 4/25, Sam Curran 2/27.
MI London: 144/3 in 84 balls
Sam Curran 60 not out off 39, Nicholas Pooran 58 not out off 22, James Vince 17 off 18; Brydon Carse 2/18, Nathan Ellis 1/22.
Result: MI London won by seven wickets with 16 balls remaining. Player of the Match: Nicholas Pooran.
Nicholas Pooran and Sam Curran powered MI London to a seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Leeds in the opening match of The Hundred 2026.
Nicholas Pooran produced a breathtaking 19-ball half-century as MI London defeated Sunrisers Leeds by seven wickets in the opening men’s match of The Hundred 2026 at the Kia Oval on Tuesday, July 21.
Chasing 144 for victory, MI London recovered from a difficult start to reach 144 for three after only 84 balls. Captain Sam Curran finished unbeaten on 60 from 39 deliveries, while Player of the Match Pooran hammered an unbeaten 58 from just 22 balls.
The pair shared an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 93 runs from only 40 deliveries, carrying MI London home with 16 balls remaining.
MI London Recover After Early Collapse
MI London won the toss and elected to bowl before restricting Sunrisers Leeds to 143 all out in 99 balls.
However, their chase began disastrously.
Brydon Carse removed Will Jacks for two and dismissed Jason Roy for a two-ball duck as MI London slipped to four for two after eight deliveries. Nathan Ellis then bowled James Vince for 17, leaving the home side struggling at 51 for three after 44 balls.
Curran had initially steadied the innings alongside Vince before Pooran arrived and immediately transformed the contest.
With MI London requiring 93 runs from the remaining 56 deliveries, Pooran attacked the Sunrisers Leeds bowlers from the beginning. He struck five fours and five sixes during an explosive innings played at a strike rate of 263.64.
Pooran reached his half-century from only 19 deliveries, the fastest fifty recorded by a batter representing the Oval-based franchise.
Curran provided the control at the other end. The MI London captain struck five fours and three sixes, reaching his fifty from 34 balls before accelerating during the closing stages.
Pooran completed the victory by driving Matthew Potts for four.
Gleeson Triggers Sunrisers Leeds Collapse
Earlier, Ryan Rickelton and Mitchell Marsh gave Sunrisers Leeds a strong start, adding 40 runs from the opening 25 deliveries.
Rickelton struck three sixes in his 25 from 16 balls before Curran trapped him leg before wicket. Harry Brook made eight from seven deliveries, including a six, before falling to Rashid Khan.
Marsh continued attacking and top-scored with 41 from 27 balls. His innings included three fours and three sixes.
Sunrisers Leeds appeared well placed at 84 for two after 55 balls, but the innings collapsed once Tom Curran dismissed Marsh with a slower delivery.
Richard Gleeson then tore through the middle order. He removed Dan Lawrence, captain Zak Crawley and Benny Howell as Sunrisers Leeds fell from 84 for two to 95 for six.
Gleeson later dismissed Nathan Ellis to complete outstanding figures of four wickets for 25 runs from 19 deliveries.
Sam Curran claimed two for 27, while Trent Boult, Tom Curran and Rashid Khan collected one wicket each.
Tom Alsop provided late resistance for Sunrisers Leeds, striking three sixes during a rapid 31 from 18 balls. Nevertheless, Boult trapped him leg before wicket, and the visitors were bowled out one delivery short of completing their 100-ball innings.
Carse was the leading Sunrisers Leeds bowler, taking two wickets for 18 runs from his full allocation of 20 deliveries. Ellis claimed the other MI London wicket and conceded 22 runs.
The result gave the newly rebranded MI London an emphatic winning start to their campaign as they began their defence of the title previously won under the Oval Invincibles name.
