Nicholas Pooran smashed a breathtaking 19-ball half-century as MI London chased down 143 to beat SunRisers Leeds by seven wickets in the opening men's game of The Hundred at the Kia Oval. The Trinidadian's innings, featuring six sixes and four fours, turned a precarious chase into a stroll, with his partnership with Sam Curran yielding 93 runs off 40 balls.
Match details
SunRisers Leeds posted 143 after being put in, with Jason Roy falling for a duck on his 36th birthday, edging to slip. MI London's chase stumbled to 2 for 4 before Pooran and Curran took control. Curran made 64 off 34 balls, while Pooran reached his half-century off just 19 balls, the fastest in The Hundred this season.
Entertainment and atmosphere
The match was preceded by a performance from singer John Newman, who played to a half-full Oval. Newman, known for hits like "Feel the Love" and "Love Me Again," performed on a small stage, but many in the crowd and the SunRisers players ignored his set, focusing on warm-ups instead. Fireworks were launched sporadically during the entertainment.
Earlier, in the women's game, SunRisers Leeds cruised to victory after MI London set a target of 108, which was chased down easily. Phoebe Litchfield impressed with her batting, hitting the ball deep into the stands.
Behind the scenes
The boundary was moved between the women's and men's games, requiring branded padding to be detached and reattached, a process that was complicated and time-consuming. The padding repeatedly displayed the word "SIMPLES" in large capital letters.
MI London chose to spend their mid-game entertainment budget on fireworks rather than a big-name act. Nita Ambani, whose Reliance Group owns 49% of the team, watched as the fireworks lit up the sky.
According to the ECB, The Hundred aims to attract new audiences to cricket. The tournament has been revamped for 2025 with new team names and ownership structures.
