A spectacular five-wicket haul from Afghanistan legspinner Rashid Khan, combined with rapid half-centuries by Will Jacks and Nicholas Pooran, propelled MI London to a convincing 45-run victory over the Manchester Super Giants at The Oval. The win, which elevated MI London to second place in the tournament standings, was secured after they set a formidable target of 183 for six and subsequently bowled out their opponents for 138.
Opting to bat first, MI London established a strong foundation through captain Will Jacks and James Vince, who shared a blistering 71-run opening partnership off just 42 deliveries. Although Liam Dawson broke the stand by dismissing Vince, Nicholas Pooran immediately maintained the scoring rate by hitting a six and a four off his first few deliveries. Jacks went on to reach his half-century off 28 balls, sealing the milestone with a six off Noor Ahmad, before the left-arm wrist spinner eventually claimed his wicket.
With MI London positioned at 121 for two after 70 balls, the batting side unleashed a late onslaught, scoring 62 runs off the final 30 deliveries. Sam Curran contributed a quickfire 23 off 11 balls, including two sixes off Gus Atkinson, while Pooran dominated Sonny Baker with a series of boundaries. Despite Noor Ahmad removing Sam Curran, Pooran continued his aggressive play, hitting Atkinson for consecutive boundaries to secure a 25-ball half-century. Although MI London looked poised to surpass the 200-run mark at 174 with 10 balls remaining, the Super Giants restricted the damage at the death. Josh Tongue delivered an exceptional spell, finishing with figures of two for 13 from 20 balls by dismissing Pooran and Sherfane Rutherford, while Baker claimed the wicket of Tom Curran on the final delivery to limit MI London to 183 for six.
In response, the Manchester Super Giants began their chase aggressively, with their opening pair putting on 59 runs in 30 balls. Aiden Markram led the charge, scoring a rapid half-century off 25 deliveries. However, the introduction of Rashid Khan completely shifted the momentum. Rashid bowled Tim Seifert and then dismissed Jos Buttler, who was caught near the deep midwicket boundary by Nathan Sowter. Sowter then claimed the crucial wicket of Markram, leaving the Super Giants struggling at 74 for three.
Leus du Plooy and Heinrich Klaasen attempted to rebuild the innings, guiding their team past the 100-run mark. However, after striking Rashid for a six, Klaasen was dismissed courtesy of a fine catch by Sam Curran. Rashid then struck twice more in the same set of five balls, removing Tom Moores and Liam Dawson to reduce the Super Giants to 109 for six and complete his five-wicket haul—the first of the 2026 Men's Hundred. MI London's pace attack quickly finished off the tail, with Tom Curran taking two wickets, and Richard Gleeson and Trent Boult claiming one apiece, wrapping up the Super Giants' innings for 138 in 95 balls.
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Md. Kazi Bijoy is a dedicated tech enthusiast and content creator with a passion for digital innovation. With years of experience in the tech industry, he specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand guides. When he isn’t writing, he explores the latest gadgets and researches emerging trends in the digital world.