Men's Hundred,1st Match, July 21 2026- MI London Started Their Campaign with Dominant Win Over Sunrisers Leeds

Sunrisers Leeds Post 143 Before All Out

Batting first, Sunrisers Leeds were bowled out for 143 in 99 balls despite a few aggressive starts.

Explosive Batter Mitchell Marsh led the scoring with a powerful 41 off 27 balls, smashing three boundaries and three sixes. Opener Ryan Rickelton provided early momentum with 25 from 16 deliveries, while Tom Alsop played an explosive cameo of 31 from only 18 balls, hitting three sixes.

However, the middle order failed to capitalize on the strong platform. Regular wickets prevented Sunrisers from posting a bigger total, with only Abrar Ahmed's unbeaten 7 off 3 balls adding late runs.

Top Scorers – Sunrisers Leeds
Mitchell Marsh: 41 (27)
Tom Alsop: 31 (18)
Ryan Rickelton: 25 (16)
Gleeson Stars with the Ball

MI London's bowling attack kept the opposition under pressure throughout the innings.

Fast bowler Richard Gleeson delivered the standout performance, claiming 4 wickets for just 25 runs in his 19-ball spell.

Captain Sam Curran chipped in with two wickets, while Trent Boult, Tom Curran, and Rashid Khan claimed one wicket each.

Best Bowling Figures
Richard Gleeson: 4/25
Sam Curran: 2/27
Trent Boult: 1/17
Tom Curran: 1/28
Rashid Khan: 1/34
Early Trouble for MI London

The chase couldn't have started worse for MI London.

They lost Will Jacks and Jason Roy inside the first eight balls and were reduced to 4/2. When James Vince departed for 17, MI London were struggling at 51/3.

Sunrisers sensed an opportunity to pull off a major upset.

Sam Curran and Nicholas Pooran Seal the Chase

Captain Sam Curran held one end firmly while Nicholas Pooran launched a stunning counterattack.

Curran played a composed captain's knock, remaining unbeaten on 60 from 39 balls, striking five fours and three sixes.

Pooran stole the show with a breathtaking innings of 58 from just 22 balls*, smashing five fours and five sixes at an incredible strike rate of 263.63.

Their unbeaten partnership completely dismantled the Sunrisers bowling attack as MI London chased down the target with ease.

Sunrisers Bowlers Unable to Defend

Despite early breakthroughs from Brydon Carse and Nathan Ellis, the bowlers had no answer to Curran and Pooran's aggressive batting.

Best Bowling Figures
Brydon Carse: 2/18
Nathan Ellis: 1/22

The remaining bowlers leaked runs during the decisive partnership.

Match Summary
Result MI London won by 7 wickets
Venue London
Tournament Men's Hundred 2026
Sunrisers Leeds 143 all out (99 balls)
MI London 144/3 (84 balls)
Top Performers
MI London
Sam Curran: 60* (39)
Nicholas Pooran: 58* (22)
Richard Gleeson: 4/25
Sunrisers Leeds
Mitchell Marsh: 41 (27)
Tom Alsop: 31 (18)
Brydon Carse: 2/18
Turning Point

After slipping to 51/3, MI London looked under pressure. However, the unbeaten partnership between Sam Curran and Nicholas Pooran completely changed the game. Pooran's fearless power-hitting combined with Curran's calm leadership ensured the chase was completed comfortably with 16 balls remaining, giving MI London the perfect start to their Men's Hundred 2026 campaign.

Final Thoughts

The opening match of the Men's Hundred 2026 showcased why MI London are among the tournament favorites. Richard Gleeson's four-wicket haul laid the foundation before Sam Curran and Nicholas Pooran produced one of the finest partnerships of the competition so far.

For Sunrisers Leeds, there were positives in Mitchell Marsh's attacking innings and Brydon Carse's disciplined bowling, but they will need stronger middle-order contributions and tighter death bowling to bounce back in their next fixture. MI London, meanwhile, will take immense confidence from this dominant seven-wicket victory as they look to build momentum early in the tournament.