Manchester Super Giants beat Birmingham Phoenix by 87 runs – The Hundred Match Report

26th July 2026

Manchester Super Giants won by 87 runs in the 7th match of 34 in The Hundred at Old Trafford. Jos Buttler produced a masterclass, smashing 90 off 50 balls (7 fours, 5 sixes) at a strike rate of 180 to propel the hosts to 187 for 5. Birmingham Phoenix never recovered from the onslaught, limping to 100 all out in 16.1 overs – a chastening defeat that exposed their fragility against a rampant Manchester batting order.

Manchester Super Giants Bat First – Buttler Takes Centre Stage

Birmingham won the toss and elected to bowl, but the decision backfired spectacularly. Tim Seifert fell for just 1 at 3/1 in the opening over, and Aiden Markram departed for 6 at 45/2 in the 6th over. The early wobble mattered little. Heinrich Klaasen struck 20 off 11 balls (3 fours) at a strike rate of 182, but it was Buttler who seized control. His 90 was a tour de force – aggressive yet calculated, with boundaries flowing freely through the off side and over midwicket. He anchored the innings through the middle overs before accelerating ruthlessly in the death, reaching 181 for 3 by the 19th over.

Leus du Plooy (13 off 8, 2 fours) was run out at 113/5 in the 13th over, but Tom Moores provided the final flourish with 39 off 17 balls (1 four, 5 sixes) at a strike rate of 229. Liam Dawson chipped in with 6 off 3 (1 four) to lift Manchester to 187 for 5 from their 100 balls.

Birmingham’s bowling was expensive throughout. Saqib Mahmood and Ben Dwarshuis each took 1 wicket but conceded 33 runs from 3.2 overs apiece (economy 9.9). Rehan Ahmed was the most economical with 2/43 from 3.2 overs (economy 12.9), but even he could not stem the tide. Scott Currie (0/28 from 2.3) and Usman Tariq (0/29 from 2.3) went for over 11 runs per over.

Birmingham’s Chase Crumbles – Dawson’s Three-Wicket Haul Seals Victory

Birmingham’s reply was a complete capitulation. Will Smeed was bowled by Josh Tongue for 8 at 20/2 in the 3rd over, and Rehan Ahmed fell for a duck at 20/3 in the next ball. Joe Clarke (20 off 17, 3 fours) was stumped at 43/1 in the 7th over, but the damage was already done.

Laurie Evans (13 off 13, 2 fours) and Donovan Ferreira (23 off 25, 2 fours, 1 six) offered brief resistance, but wickets tumbled around them. Mitchell Owen (13 off 7, 1 four, 1 six) was caught at 73/6 in the 12th over, and Sean Dickson managed just 2 at 85/7 in the 15th.

Liam Dawson was the architect of the collapse, taking 3 for 15 from 2.5 overs (economy 5.29) – a devastating spell that included the wickets of Donovan Ferreira, Mitchell Owen, and Usman Tariq. Josh Tongue took 2/21 from 3.2 overs, Sonny Baker claimed 2/25 from 3.2, and Noor Ahmad finished with 2/16 from 3.2 overs (economy 4.8). Gus Atkinson took 1/20 from 3.2 overs. Birmingham were bowled out for 100 in 16.1 overs – a total that never threatened Manchester’s total.

Statz MVP: Jos Buttler (Statz Rating: 106.24)

Jos Buttler earns the Statz MVP award with a Statz Rating of 106.24. His 90 off 50 balls at a strike rate of 180 was the catalyst for Manchester’s dominant display. Buttler’s aggressive intent from the outset set the tone – he took on the Birmingham bowlers without hesitation, and his partnership with Tom Moores in the death overs proved decisive. The official Man of the Match award also went to Buttler.

Top 5 Statz Ratings

Turning Point

The match was effectively decided in the first 10 overs of Manchester’s innings. Buttler and Klaasen took the attack to Birmingham’s bowlers, establishing a platform that proved insurmountable. By the time Birmingham came to bat, chasing 188 against a fired-up Manchester attack, the psychological advantage had already shifted decisively. The early loss of Smeed and Ahmed in quick succession in the 3rd over sealed their fate.

Match Context

This was the 7th match of 34 in The Hundred 2026 group stage. Manchester Super Giants (1W 0L, 4 points) move to 4th in the standings with a net run rate of 0.42, while Birmingham Phoenix (1W 0L, 4 points) remain 3rd with a net run rate of 0.6 despite the heavy defeat. Check the full head-to-head record and explore bet builder options on Statz Cricket for deeper analysis of this dominant performance.