A Win That Had Everything
If you like your cricket straightforward, look away now. MI London edged out Southern Brave by three wickets in one of the most heart-stopping finishes The Hundred has produced this season, with Ollie Pope slashing the winning runs through the point region off the very last ball at the Utilita Bowl. It was the kind of game that reminds you why this format, love it or loathe it, is genuinely compelling viewing.
Jacks Provides the Platform
The backbone of MI London's successful chase of 130 was provided by Will Jacks, who struck 54 from 41 deliveries — his maiden half-century of this year's competition. The England all-rounder looked composed and authoritative, hitting three fours and two sixes as MI progressed to 93-3 and appeared to be cruising. From a chasing perspective, a target of 130 on what was described as a tricky surface looked well within reach while Jacks remained at the crease, and the outright betting markets had shifted firmly in MI's favour at that stage.
Stoinis Sparks a Collapse
Then came Marcus Stoinis. The Australian all-rounder produced a spell that changed the entire complexion of the contest, first removing MI skipper James Vince and then Nicholas Pooran for ducks in back-to-back deliveries. He later ended Jacks' innings with a toe-crushing yorker that trapped the Surrey man lbw — a delivery that would have graced any format of the game. Stoinis finished with 3-17, and MI had suddenly slipped from comfortable to chaotic, losing four wickets for just 34 runs as Brave scented an unlikely victory.
Rutherford and Pope Seal It
Sherfane Rutherford swung momentum back towards the visitors with a muscular 21 off just 12 balls, but the closing stages were pure theatre. Both Rutherford and Rashid Khan were run out, and Tom Curran was bowled by Nikhil Chaudhary, leaving MI needing two runs from the final ball. Chaudhary, who had taken those crucial late wickets, bowled the last delivery of the match, only for Pope to find the gap at point and scramble back for the second run that completed a remarkable victory.
Smith Shines for Brave
Earlier, Southern Brave had posted 129-9 largely thanks to England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who blazed 49 from just 26 balls at the top of the order. Smith struck six fours and two sixes before picking out the fielder at long on off a slower delivery from experienced seamer Richard Gleeson. Tristan Stubbs contributed a solid 38 from 31 balls, but no other Brave batter reached double figures, which ultimately proved costly. Gleeson, Tom Curran, Sam Curran, and New Zealand left-armer Trent Boult — the pick of the MI attack with 2-15 — all took two wickets apiece to keep Brave's total below what might have been a match-winning score.
This result will give MI London's outright tournament odds a meaningful boost, and it sends a clear message to the rest of the competition. They showed character when it mattered most, and in Jacks they have a player capable of anchoring a chase on a difficult pitch. Southern Brave, meanwhile, will reflect on whether 129-9 was ever truly enough.
Scorecard: Southern Brave 129-9 (100 balls) — Smith 49 (26); Boult 2-15 | MI London 130-7 (100 balls) — Jacks 54 (41); Stoinis 3-17. MI London won off the final ball.
