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MI London’s Power Hitters Put Manchester’s Qualification Hopes Under Pressure
Rashid Khan claimed five wickets after Will Jacks and Nicholas Pooran powered MI London to 183, sealing a 45-run win over Manchester Super Giants.
Manchester Super Giants had reached 59 without loss after 30 balls, exactly the start required when chasing 184. Fifteen deliveries later, their top order had fallen apart and MI London controlled the match.
Rashid Khan started the reversal by bowling Tim Seifert. Nathan Sowter removed the dangerous Aiden Markram, while Rashid dismissed Jos Buttler and Heinrich Klaasen before either could build a meaningful response.
The Afghan spinner finished with five wickets for 17 runs from 20 balls as MI London dismissed Manchester for 138 in 95 deliveries, completing a 45-run victory at The Oval on August 2. His maiden five-wicket haul in The Hundred earned him the Match Hero award and lifted MI London into second place.
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TL;DR
- MI London scored 183/6 before dismissing Manchester Super Giants for 138.
- Will Jacks struck 62 from 31 balls, including six sixes.
- Nicholas Pooran added 54 from 28, while Sam Curran scored 23 from 11.
- Manchester slipped from 59/0 to 112/7 as its chase collapsed.
- Rashid Khan claimed 5/17 and received the Match Hero award.
- MI London moved to second with 12 points; Manchester stood fifth with eight.
MI London vs Manchester Super Giants Scorecard
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition | The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026 |
| Match | MI London vs Manchester Super Giants, Match 18 |
| Date | August 2, 2026 |
| Venue | The Kia Oval, London |
| Toss | Manchester Super Giants elected to bowl |
| MI London | 183/6 from 100 balls |
| Manchester Super Giants | 138 all out from 95 balls |
| Result | MI London won by 45 runs |
| MI London Top Batters | Will Jacks 62, Nicholas Pooran 54, James Vince 29 |
| Manchester Top Batter | Aiden Markram 50 from 26 balls |
| Best Bowling | Rashid Khan 5/17; Josh Tongue 2/13 |
| Match Hero | Rashid Khan |
| Turning Point | Manchester collapsed from 59/0 to 74/3 in 15 balls |
| Table Impact | MI London rose to second; Manchester stood fifth |
Jacks and Vince Make Manchester Pay Early
Manchester’s decision to bowl placed immediate pressure on a batting lineup capable of scoring heavily through every phase. James Vince and Will Jacks responded with a 71-run opening partnership from 42 balls.
Vince contributed 29 from 20, striking four fours and a six. His controlled start allowed Jacks to attack the shorter boundaries and punish anything delivered within his preferred hitting arc.
Jacks reached 62 from only 31 balls at a strike rate of 200. His six sixes prevented Manchester from building consecutive quiet sets. The innings showed a more aggressive side of the batter who had previously held MI London together during their last-ball victory over Southern Brave.
Josh Tongue offered Manchester rare control, taking two wickets for 13 runs from 20 balls. His economy stood out sharply beside Gus Atkinson’s 50 runs from 20 deliveries and Sonny Baker’s 40.
Pooran and Curran Keep the Pressure On
Noor Ahmad removed Jacks with MI London at 109 after 60 balls, but the dismissal failed to produce the slowdown Manchester needed.
Nicholas Pooran and captain Sam Curran added 44 runs from 24 deliveries. Curran struck 23 from 11, including two sixes, before Noor had him stumped. Pooran continued attacking and reached 54 from 28 balls with five fours and four sixes.
Pooran had already decided MI London’s opening match with an unbeaten 58 against Sunrisers Leeds. This innings carried similar power, although it came from a stronger platform and allowed him to attack from the beginning.
MI London lost three wickets during the final seven deliveries, yet Rashid’s seven from four balls pushed the total to 183. Those late runs took the required rate above 1.8 runs per delivery before Manchester had faced a ball.
Markram Gives Manchester a Real Chance
Aiden Markram and Seifert gave Manchester a forceful start. Their opening stand produced 59 runs from 30 balls, with Markram driving the chase through seven fours and a six.
At that point, Manchester needed 125 from 70 deliveries. The target remained difficult but realistic, especially with Buttler, Klaasen and Leus du Plooy still available.
The response unraveled once spin entered the contest. That weakness proved costly after the same batting lineup had posted 181 against Sunrisers, only to lose when Mitchell Marsh, Zak Crawley and Harry Brook completed a record Headingley chase.
Rashid Khan Breaks the Chase Apart
Rashid bowled Seifert for 17 on the 30th delivery, ending Manchester’s only substantial partnership. Buttler followed for two after Sowter completed the catch, and Markram fell to Sowter for 50 six balls later.
Manchester had moved from 59 without loss to 74 for three. Klaasen briefly threatened with a six, but Rashid removed him for 13. Tom Moores and Liam Dawson then fell to the same bowler as the innings collapsed to 109 for six.
Why Manchester Could Not Read Rashid
Rashid varied his pace without losing his line. Some deliveries skidded through, while others held enough to force mistimed cross-batted shots. Manchester’s rising required rate made patient defense impractical, leaving its middle order trapped between attacking uncertain lengths and allowing the equation to worsen.
His spell included nine dot balls. The five wickets accounted for Seifert, Buttler, Klaasen, Moores and Dawson, removing much of Manchester’s recognized batting.
“I think I needed that,” Rashid said after the match, adding that he focused on keeping his approach simple and consistently hitting the right areas.
The Hundred 2026 Points Table After Match 18
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points | Net Run Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trent Rockets | 5 | 4 | 1 | 16 | +0.760 |
| 2 | MI London | 5 | 3 | 2 | 12 | +0.399 |
| 3 | Welsh Fire | 4 | 3 | 1 | 12 | -0.222 |
| 4 | Southern Brave | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | +0.104 |
| 5 | Manchester Super Giants | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | +0.021 |
| 6 | Sunrisers Leeds | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 | -0.036 |
| 7 | London Spirit | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -0.055 |
| 8 | Birmingham Phoenix | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1.208 |
The standings reflect the completed men’s matches on August 2.
What the Result Means for Qualification
MI London now have 12 points from five matches and sit second on net run rate. Three victories from their remaining fixtures would take them to 24 points, while two wins should keep them firmly in the top-three race.
Their next match against London Spirit at Lord’s on August 6 offers an opportunity to avenge their earlier defeat at The Oval.
Manchester remain alive with eight points and three games left. Their positive net run rate provides some protection, but defeats against Sunrisers, Trent Rockets and MI London have consumed most of their margin. Wednesday’s home match against Welsh Fire now carries major qualification weight.
The compressed standings help explain why the tournament continues to produce high-stakes matches despite the wider questions surrounding The Hundred’s crowds, scheduling and changing team identities.
MI London Finally Bring Both Halves Together
MI London had previously won through Pooran’s power and Jacks’ patience. Against Manchester, they brought every part of the batting order into the game before Rashid attacked a chase already under severe scoreboard pressure.
Manchester’s opening partnership showed that 184 was within reach. Their challenge came when early aggression failed to develop into middle-order control. Losing seven wickets for 53 runs removed any realistic route back.