MI London began their title defense in the 2026 edition of The Hundred with a commanding seven-wicket victory over SunRisers Leeds at The Kia Oval. The defending champions, formerly known as Oval Invincibles, demonstrated their experience in pursuit of a fourth consecutive crown.
SunRisers Leeds posted 143 runs from 99 balls after being asked to bat first. Mitchell Marsh led the scoring with 41 off 27 balls, while Ryan Rickelton contributed 25 off 16. Tom Alsop added 31 off 18 balls to help construct a respectable total. However, Richard Gleeson’s bowling proved decisive, claiming four wickets for 25 runs. Marsh was undone by a slower delivery from Tom Curran after striking three fours and three sixes, while Harry Brook, England’s white-ball captain, managed only eight runs before holing out to Rashid Khan.
In response, MI London encountered early difficulties when Brydon Carse removed Will Jacks and Jason Roy with consecutive deliveries. James Vince was subsequently bowled by Nathan Ellis as the team stumbled to 51 for three. However, Nicholas Pooran and Sam Curran engineered a recovery with a rapid-fire 93-run fourth-wicket partnership. Pooran reached his fifty in 19 balls while Curran brought up his in 34 balls, combining for 10 fours and eight sixes. The pair guided MI London to their target of 144 with 16 balls remaining, securing an authoritative opening victory.
Curran, who captains the team, emphasized the importance of reading match situations and utilizing the expertise of his squad. Pooran noted the value of maintaining a positive approach and prioritized winning over individual performances, expressing satisfaction with the winning start.