MI London just kicked off The Hundred men’s competition with a dominant seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Leeds, and it was all thanks to an absolutely ridiculous all-round performance from Sam Curran. This team is already proving why they’ve owned the last three tournaments, picking up right where they left off.
Sunrisers Leeds Tried, But MI London’s Attack Was Relentless
The Sunrisers started the opening match at The Oval hoping to put up a big score, but MI London’s bowlers had other ideas. Richard Gleeson was on fire, snagging an impressive 4-25, and Sam Curran himself ripped through the lineup with 2-27. Leeds managed to scrape together 143 runs before getting bowled out on 99 balls. Mitchell Marsh top-scored for them with 41 runs off 27 balls, but once he was gone, the momentum just vanished. Even with Tom Alsop’s quick 31 from 18 balls, England captain Harry Brook could only manage eight runs, and Sunrisers skipper Zak Crawley got just 13. It felt like they were constantly playing catch-up against a determined MI London attack.
The Curran and Pooran Show Was Absolute Fire, Leeds Had No Shot
Chasing 144 for the win, MI London made it look easy. Yeah, Brydon Carse gave Sunrisers a glimmer of hope with his 2-18, but then Sam Curran and Nicholas Pooran took over, and it was game over. Curran finished unbeaten with 60 runs off 39 balls, while Pooran put on a destructive display, blasting an unbeaten 58 runs from just 22 balls. Think about that: a 19-ball fifty! He smashed five fours and five sixes. These two combined for a monstrous 93-run partnership off only 40 balls for the fourth wicket, easing MI London to their target with a full 16 balls to spare. It was pure hitting brilliance.
What a way to start the season! MI London, who were formerly the Oval Invincibles before that private investment kicked in, look set to defend their title yet again. Next up, it’s Southern Brave taking on Welsh Fire at Southampton on Wednesday. You can catch both the women’s game at 14:45 BST and the men’s at 18:30 BST live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. This MI London squad is already showing they’re not messing around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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