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 po
Their best bet was to bowl Phoenix out and at 23/3, they stood a decent chance.
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.
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.
