MI London eliminated despite narrow win over Phoenix

MI London scripted a thrilling two-run win over Birmingham Phoenix in their final league fixture of the Men’s Hundred 2026 at Edgbaston, but it wasn’t enough to avert elimination as they ended their campaign in fourth position on the table. Despite drawing level with Manchester Super Giants and Sunrisers Leeds on points, MI London’s inferior net run-rate meant that their campaign came to an end on Wednesday. The Sunrisers secured third spot after the Super Giants’ berth in the Eliminator was confirmed earlier in the day following Welsh Fire’s defeat to London Spirit.

Having posted 157 on the board, MI London had to restrict Phoenix to a total of 98 or lower to pip the Sunrisers on net run-rate. Their best bet was to bowl Phoenix out and at 23/3, they stood a decent chance. Sikandar Raza removed Joe Clarke early before Richard Gleeson struck off consecutive deliveries, first cutting Mitchell Owen’s breezy start short before strangling Laurie Evans down the leg-side.

But Joe Weatherley (42 off 31) put paid to those hopes as he led Phoenix’s recovery, sharing a stand of 58 with Sean Dickson. Weatherley dominated the early stages of the partnership before Dickson caught up, with each hit to the fence signalling the inevitable for MI London’s playoff chances. Skipper Sam Curran removed Dickson but off the very next delivery, dropped Donovan Ferreira off his brother Tom’s bowling.

Phoenix soon got past the mark of 98 that ended MI London’s campaign but there was a contest still to be won. Ferreira and Weatherley fell in quick succession, and the visitors should’ve nipped Jordan Thompson in the bud too, except for Will Jacks dropping a sitter at long off. Phoenix needed 32 off 12 at one stage but Rehan Ahmed and Thompson picked out the boundaries to bring it down to 13 needed off 5. Rehan then walked across and picked up a Boult delivery over fine leg before it was followed by a wide which Nicholas Pooran fumbled. With 5 needed off 4, it was Phoenix’s game to lose. But Boult went for the yorker and executed them to perfection, snatching a consolation win for MI London.

Asked to bat first, MI London were off to a flyer in the Powerplay despite losing Jacks for 11. James Vince pressed on with regular boundaries while Pooran gave Tom Helm a brutal introduction with a four and a six. Helm castled Vince off the last ball of the Powerplay, sending down a clever slower delivery. MI London managed 48 in that phase, although they found themselves in a spot of bother once Sam Curran departed for a duck soon after.

Despite the visitors slowing down to 67 at the halfway mark, Pooran kept them going until he miscued one to long on for 36. As it turned out, he was the top-scorer although a host of contributions from the middle and lower middle-order took MI London to a competitive total. Jason Roy began slowly before speeding up, though he fell for 26 while Raza chipped in with 17. It was an unbeaten 16-ball 33-run stand from Ollie Sykes and Tom Curran, however, that bumped MI London’s score up with Helm receiving more punishment at the death.

As things panned out, the total was enough for a win but not in the larger context of qualification. For Phoenix, the result marked their seventh consecutive defeat as they finished at the foot of the table.

Brief Scores: MI London 157/6 in 100 balls (Nicholas Pooran 36, Jason Roy 26; Rehan Ahmed 2-7, Chris Wood 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.