MI London scripted an exciting two-run win over Birmingham Phoenix of their ultimate league fixture of the Males’s Hundred 2026 at Edgbaston, but it surely wasn’t sufficient to avert elimination as they ended their marketing campaign in fourth place on the desk. Regardless of drawing stage with Manchester Tremendous Giants and Sunrisers Leeds on factors, MI London’s inferior internet run-rate meant that their marketing campaign got here to an finish on Wednesday. The Sunrisers secured third spot after the Tremendous Giants’ berth within the Eliminator was confirmed earlier within the day following Welsh Fireplace’s defeat to London Spirit.
Having posted 157 on the board, MI London needed to prohibit Phoenix to a complete of 98 or decrease to pip the Sunrisers on internet run-rate. Their finest guess was to bowl Phoenix out and at 23/3, they stood an honest likelihood. Sikandar Raza eliminated Joe Clarke early earlier than Richard Gleeson struck off consecutive deliveries, first slicing Mitchell Owen’s breezy begin brief earlier than strangling Laurie Evans down the leg-side.
However Joe Weatherley (42 off 31) put paid to these hopes as he led Phoenix’s restoration, sharing a stand of 58 with Sean Dickson. Weatherley dominated the early levels of the partnership earlier than Dickson caught up, with every hit to the fence signalling the inevitable for MI London’s playoff probabilities. Skipper Sam Curran eliminated Dickson however off the very subsequent supply, dropped Donovan Ferreira off his brother Tom’s bowling.
Phoenix quickly received previous the mark of 98 that ended MI London’s marketing campaign however there was a contest nonetheless to be received. Ferreira and Weatherley fell in fast succession, and the guests ought to’ve nipped Jordan Thompson within the bud too, aside from Will Jacks dropping a sitter at lengthy off. Phoenix wanted 32 off 12 at one stage however Rehan Ahmed and Thompson picked out the boundaries to convey it all the way down to 13 wanted off 5. Rehan then walked throughout and picked up a Boult supply over effective leg earlier than it was adopted by a large which Nicholas Pooran fumbled. With 5 wanted off 4, it was Phoenix’s sport to lose. However Boult went for the yorker and executed them to perfection, snatching a comfort win for MI London.
Requested to bat first, MI London have been off to a flyer within the Powerplay regardless of shedding Jacks for 11. James Vince pressed on with common boundaries whereas Pooran gave Tom Helm a brutal introduction with a 4 and a six. Helm castled Vince off the final ball of the Powerplay, sending down a intelligent slower supply. MI London managed 48 in that part, though they discovered themselves in a spot of hassle as soon as Sam Curran departed for a duck quickly after.
Regardless of the guests slowing all the way down to 67 on the midway mark, Pooran saved them going till he miscued one to lengthy on for 36. Because it turned out, he was the top-scorer though a bunch of contributions from the center and decrease middle-order took MI London to a aggressive complete. Jason Roy started slowly earlier than dashing up, although he fell for 26 whereas Raza chipped in with 17. It was an unbeaten 16-ball 33-run stand from Ollie Sykes and Tom Curran, nevertheless, that bumped MI London’s rating up with Helm receiving extra punishment on the demise.
As issues panned out, the full was sufficient for a win however not within the bigger context of qualification. For Phoenix, the end result marked their seventh consecutive defeat as they completed on the foot of the desk.
Temporary Scores: MI London 157/6 in 100 balls (Nicholas Pooran 36, Jason Roy 26; Rehan Ahmed 2-7, Chris Wooden 2-28) beat Birmingham Phoenix 155/7 in 100 balls (Joe Weatherley 42, Jordan Thompson 23*; Richard Gleeson 2-29, Sam Curran 2-37) by 2 runs.
