204/7 (20.0)
CR : 10.20
214/4 (20.0)
CR : 10.70
Birmingham Phoenix won by 10 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Joe Clarke
68(33)
Over 20
Trent Rockets 204/7
Calvin Harrison12(2)
Craig Overton4(3)
Mitchell Owen1-28(10 b)
BP won by 10 runs
1:53 AM IST, 9:23 PM LOCAL TIME: Some days, cricket is a contest. Some days, it's pure entertainment dressed up as competition. Edgbaston got exactly that. Boundaries flew. Records tumbled. Both batting line-ups came out swinging, but Birmingham Phoenix held their nerve when it mattered most to defeat Trent Rockets by 10 runs in a breathtaking run-fest. The Rockets threatened an unbelievable chase through Finn Allen, Ben Duckett, and later Tom Banton, but Birmingham's explosive start with the bat eventually proved to be the difference. It was absolute dhamaal (fun) from start to finish. A total of 418 runs, 29 fours, 29 sixes, and 18 extras lit up the evening, reminding everyone why The Hundred is built for entertainment.
Let's rewind a bit....
The Phoenix wasted no time after being asked to bat. Could Trent Rockets have imagined what was coming? Probably not. Joe Clarke and Will Smeed attacked from the very first set, taking on Matt Henry, Mohammad Amir, and everyone else with fearless intent. Birmingham raced to 54/0 in the first 25-ball Powerplay, brought up 50 in just 24 balls, before stretching it to a magnificent 104-run partnership in only 49 balls. Clarke reached a breathtaking fifty off just 24 balls, while the strategic timeout arrived with Phoenix cruising at 101/0 after 45 balls. The Rockets were already in difficulty, searching desperately for a breakthrough.
The middle phase finally gave Trent Rockets something to celebrate. Calvin Harrison broke the giant opening stand by dismissing Joe Clarke for 68 off 33, an innings packed with 7 fours and 4 sixes. Could the scoring slow down after that? Only briefly. Will Smeed reached his own fifty off 27 balls, while Rehan Ahmed walked in and immediately kept the momentum alive. The Phoenix crossed 150 in 77 balls, thanks to a quick 30-run second-wicket stand before Harrison struck again to remove Smeed for 51 off 28. Harrison finished with an impressive 2/27, comfortably the pick of an otherwise expensive bowling attack.
If the Rockets thought they had wrestled back control, Birmingham had one more surprise. Rehan Ahmed and Donovan Ferreira unleashed complete tabahi (destruction) at the death, adding 63 runs in just 22 balls for the third wicket. Ferreira exploded with an unbeaten 22 off only 9 balls, while Rehan blasted 48 off 25 before falling in the closing stages. Sean Dickson and Mitchell Owen chipped in with late sixes as Birmingham surged past 200 in 96 balls, eventually finishing on a mammoth 214/4. Apart from Harrison's spell, every Rockets bowler endured a difficult evening, with Matt Henry (0/48), Mohammad Amir (1/43), Lewis Gregory (1/42), and Mitchell Santner (0/39) all disappearing in what truly became a boundary bath.
Now... The Chase!
Did the Rockets surrender? Not even close. They came out with complete taabadtod (relentless) intent. Finn Allen and Ben Duckett matched Birmingham shot for shot, racing to 50 in just 23 balls after adding their fifty in only 22 balls. The Powerplay ended at 54/0, exactly mirroring Birmingham's start. Allen smashed 43 off just 17 balls, while Duckett played the perfect supporting role. Suddenly, the impossible chase no longer looked impossible. Phoenix had runs on the board, but the Rockets had all the momentum.
The middle overs produced another dramatic twist. Usman Tariq finally removed Allen at 65, ending the opening stand before Scott Currie dismissed Ben Duckett for a heartbreaking 49, one short of a deserved fifty. Even then, the chase stayed alive. Tom Banton walked in and immediately found his rhythm, helping the Rockets reach 100 in 47 balls. At the strategic timeout after 48 balls, they were 102/2, needing 113 from the final 52 balls, with Banton just getting started and the dangerous Tim David and Sam Billings still waiting. The contest was beautifully balanced.
Could Birmingham finish the job? They eventually found the answers. Usman Tariq produced another crucial wicket by dismissing Tim David, while Ben Dwarshuis removed captain Sam Billings. Yet Banton refused to give up. He brought up a superb fifty off only 26 balls and stitched a 34-run stand with Mitchell Santner, dragging the Rockets to 150 in 80 balls. But that partnership ended with Santner's unfortunate run-out after brilliant work from Donovan Ferreira and Dwarshuis. The pressure finally caught up. Scott Currie dismissed the outstanding Tom Banton for 67 off 32, Mitchell Owen accounted for Lewis Gregory, and despite Calvin Harrison smashing two sixes in his unbeaten 12 off just 2 balls, the Rockets finished on 204/7, falling agonisingly short by 10 runs.
Looking back, what decided this incredible contest? The answer was simple. Birmingham's opening stand. The Rockets matched almost everything else, but chasing 215 always meant they needed one partnership even bigger than Phoenix's. They had plenty of fireworks, but Birmingham always stayed one step ahead. Scott Currie (2 wickets) and Usman Tariq (2 wickets) shared the key breakthroughs, while Dwarshuis and Owen chipped in at the right moments. Sometimes the best defence is simply scoring too many runs first, and Birmingham proved exactly that.
Let's rewind a bit....
The Phoenix wasted no time after being asked to bat. Could Trent Rockets have imagined what was coming? Probably not. Joe Clarke and Will Smeed attacked from the very first set, taking on Matt Henry, Mohammad Amir, and everyone else with fearless intent. Birmingham raced to 54/0 in the first 25-ball Powerplay, brought up 50 in just 24 balls, before stretching it to a magnificent 104-run partnership in only 49 balls. Clarke reached a breathtaking fifty off just 24 balls, while the strategic timeout arrived with Phoenix cruising at 101/0 after 45 balls. The Rockets were already in difficulty, searching desperately for a breakthrough.
The middle phase finally gave Trent Rockets something to celebrate. Calvin Harrison broke the giant opening stand by dismissing Joe Clarke for 68 off 33, an innings packed with 7 fours and 4 sixes. Could the scoring slow down after that? Only briefly. Will Smeed reached his own fifty off 27 balls, while Rehan Ahmed walked in and immediately kept the momentum alive. The Phoenix crossed 150 in 77 balls, thanks to a quick 30-run second-wicket stand before Harrison struck again to remove Smeed for 51 off 28. Harrison finished with an impressive 2/27, comfortably the pick of an otherwise expensive bowling attack.
If the Rockets thought they had wrestled back control, Birmingham had one more surprise. Rehan Ahmed and Donovan Ferreira unleashed complete tabahi (destruction) at the death, adding 63 runs in just 22 balls for the third wicket. Ferreira exploded with an unbeaten 22 off only 9 balls, while Rehan blasted 48 off 25 before falling in the closing stages. Sean Dickson and Mitchell Owen chipped in with late sixes as Birmingham surged past 200 in 96 balls, eventually finishing on a mammoth 214/4. Apart from Harrison's spell, every Rockets bowler endured a difficult evening, with Matt Henry (0/48), Mohammad Amir (1/43), Lewis Gregory (1/42), and Mitchell Santner (0/39) all disappearing in what truly became a boundary bath.
Now... The Chase!
Did the Rockets surrender? Not even close. They came out with complete taabadtod (relentless) intent. Finn Allen and Ben Duckett matched Birmingham shot for shot, racing to 50 in just 23 balls after adding their fifty in only 22 balls. The Powerplay ended at 54/0, exactly mirroring Birmingham's start. Allen smashed 43 off just 17 balls, while Duckett played the perfect supporting role. Suddenly, the impossible chase no longer looked impossible. Phoenix had runs on the board, but the Rockets had all the momentum.
The middle overs produced another dramatic twist. Usman Tariq finally removed Allen at 65, ending the opening stand before Scott Currie dismissed Ben Duckett for a heartbreaking 49, one short of a deserved fifty. Even then, the chase stayed alive. Tom Banton walked in and immediately found his rhythm, helping the Rockets reach 100 in 47 balls. At the strategic timeout after 48 balls, they were 102/2, needing 113 from the final 52 balls, with Banton just getting started and the dangerous Tim David and Sam Billings still waiting. The contest was beautifully balanced.
Could Birmingham finish the job? They eventually found the answers. Usman Tariq produced another crucial wicket by dismissing Tim David, while Ben Dwarshuis removed captain Sam Billings. Yet Banton refused to give up. He brought up a superb fifty off only 26 balls and stitched a 34-run stand with Mitchell Santner, dragging the Rockets to 150 in 80 balls. But that partnership ended with Santner's unfortunate run-out after brilliant work from Donovan Ferreira and Dwarshuis. The pressure finally caught up. Scott Currie dismissed the outstanding Tom Banton for 67 off 32, Mitchell Owen accounted for Lewis Gregory, and despite Calvin Harrison smashing two sixes in his unbeaten 12 off just 2 balls, the Rockets finished on 204/7, falling agonisingly short by 10 runs.
Looking back, what decided this incredible contest? The answer was simple. Birmingham's opening stand. The Rockets matched almost everything else, but chasing 215 always meant they needed one partnership even bigger than Phoenix's. They had plenty of fireworks, but Birmingham always stayed one step ahead. Scott Currie (2 wickets) and Usman Tariq (2 wickets) shared the key breakthroughs, while Dwarshuis and Owen chipped in at the right moments. Sometimes the best defence is simply scoring too many runs first, and Birmingham proved exactly that.
Highest Match Aggregates at the Men's Hundred:
418 - Birmingham Phoenix vs Trent Rockets, Birmingham, 2026 (Tonight)*
397 - Manchester Super Giants vs Southern Brave, London (The Oval), 2023
393 - Sunrisers Leeds vs Manchester Super Giants, Leeds, 2022
418 - Birmingham Phoenix vs Trent Rockets, Birmingham, 2026 (Tonight)*
397 - Manchester Super Giants vs Southern Brave, London (The Oval), 2023
393 - Sunrisers Leeds vs Manchester Super Giants, Leeds, 2022
Player of the Match: Joe Clarke
Joe Clarke (POTM): "[Was the wicket tricky?] Yeah, it looked like that with the first couple of balls. However, we have got the license at the top of the order with our strength and depth. Smeed played superbly well too. We got the team off to a good start and the other continued.
[Was it a conscious plan to go ultra aggressive?] Yeah definitely. I didn't want to go into defensive mode. I thought of being ultra-aggressive and put the bowlers off their lengths. Luckily it came off.
[Were there doubts that the Trent Rockets might chase it?] Yeah of course. With the class in their lineup, the game is never done. Credit to our boys they executed well and we came on top.
[On keeping to Usman Tariq] He is interesting. I spent the last 2 days keeping to him in the nets and trying to work out which ball is which. So yeah, it is going to be one hell of an experience.
[On his low arm variations] I am just trying to stay down for as long as possible as they don't bounce much. But yeah, he has been quality and good 20 balls from him tonight.
[On the importance of this win] Yes definitely. We needed a strong start. The crowd was amazing tonight. We have a couple of games away. Hopefully we get good results and come back here and be in a position where we can get to the finals."
[Was it a conscious plan to go ultra aggressive?] Yeah definitely. I didn't want to go into defensive mode. I thought of being ultra-aggressive and put the bowlers off their lengths. Luckily it came off.
[Were there doubts that the Trent Rockets might chase it?] Yeah of course. With the class in their lineup, the game is never done. Credit to our boys they executed well and we came on top.
[On keeping to Usman Tariq] He is interesting. I spent the last 2 days keeping to him in the nets and trying to work out which ball is which. So yeah, it is going to be one hell of an experience.
[On his low arm variations] I am just trying to stay down for as long as possible as they don't bounce much. But yeah, he has been quality and good 20 balls from him tonight.
[On the importance of this win] Yes definitely. We needed a strong start. The crowd was amazing tonight. We have a couple of games away. Hopefully we get good results and come back here and be in a position where we can get to the finals."
Donovan Ferreira (Birmingham Phoenix Captain): "(On the win) It's always good getting a win in your first game. It's a belter of a wicket over there. Bit nerve-wracking over there, but I reckon we let ourselves a bit in the field; we need to take those half-chances to get us in the game. All credit needs to be given to our team for getting us over the line there.
(On losing the toss and batting) We weren't quite sure what we wanted to do (upon winning the toss), I know the stats and everything said bat second, but it looked a pretty good wicket when the openers kept on going. For us, that was really good. We assessed the conditions really early and then just kept on going with the momentum. That's how our batting line-up is set up, to have a look up-front and then we've got a powerhouse middle-order. So we can just keep going, the guys who get on a roll.
(On conversations with the groundsman) He (the groundsman) said to me it's going to be a good wicket, giving me all the stats and stuff, went straight over my head, all the moisture and all of those numbers. He gave one or two tips, if the ball flies you do this or that. We assesed the conditions early and were aggressive as a team.
(On relationship with Shane Bond) I've been fortunate to be with him (Bond) at Rajasthan Royals for three years. He was there as the bowling coach. These opportunities present us the chance to stand up and take it with both hands. He's an honest guy, straight shooter.
(On tips from Billings last season) He was quite good tactically (Billings). I don't have to focus too much on that; when you're fielding, you want to focus on what your job is. It is quite challenging, the format. Usually in T20 cricket, it's one bowler one end. Two bowlers from the same end, it is a bit tricky. We try to plan it out, but it never goes to plan. The wicket was really good. For us, it was just learning from that, quick turnaround, take this momentum, never too high, never too low, just go with that.
(On Usman Tariq) Firstly, I'm grateful he's part of our team; I don't have to face him. That's kind of how we're thinking of using him, as a strike bowler, an attacking bowler. He bowled a couple of hard overs over there. He's a professional, just goes about his business, keeps it simple, I don't need to tell him what and how to bowl, for him it's just about giving him all the confidence and the backing."
(On losing the toss and batting) We weren't quite sure what we wanted to do (upon winning the toss), I know the stats and everything said bat second, but it looked a pretty good wicket when the openers kept on going. For us, that was really good. We assessed the conditions really early and then just kept on going with the momentum. That's how our batting line-up is set up, to have a look up-front and then we've got a powerhouse middle-order. So we can just keep going, the guys who get on a roll.
(On conversations with the groundsman) He (the groundsman) said to me it's going to be a good wicket, giving me all the stats and stuff, went straight over my head, all the moisture and all of those numbers. He gave one or two tips, if the ball flies you do this or that. We assesed the conditions early and were aggressive as a team.
(On relationship with Shane Bond) I've been fortunate to be with him (Bond) at Rajasthan Royals for three years. He was there as the bowling coach. These opportunities present us the chance to stand up and take it with both hands. He's an honest guy, straight shooter.
(On tips from Billings last season) He was quite good tactically (Billings). I don't have to focus too much on that; when you're fielding, you want to focus on what your job is. It is quite challenging, the format. Usually in T20 cricket, it's one bowler one end. Two bowlers from the same end, it is a bit tricky. We try to plan it out, but it never goes to plan. The wicket was really good. For us, it was just learning from that, quick turnaround, take this momentum, never too high, never too low, just go with that.
(On Usman Tariq) Firstly, I'm grateful he's part of our team; I don't have to face him. That's kind of how we're thinking of using him, as a strike bowler, an attacking bowler. He bowled a couple of hard overs over there. He's a professional, just goes about his business, keeps it simple, I don't need to tell him what and how to bowl, for him it's just about giving him all the confidence and the backing."
Highest Innings Totals in the Men's Hundred:
226/4 - MI London vs Welsh Fire, The Oval, 2025
214/4 - Birmingham Phoenix vs Trent Rockets, Birmingham, 2026, Tonight*
208/5 - Manchester Super Giants vs Sunrisers Leeds, Headingley, 2022
204/7 - Trent Rockets vs Birmingham Phoenix, Birmingham, 2026, Tonight*
201/3 - Manchester Super Giants vs Southern Brave, The Oval, 2023
201/3 - Sunrisers Leeds vs Southern Brave, Southampton, 2023
226/4 - MI London vs Welsh Fire, The Oval, 2025
214/4 - Birmingham Phoenix vs Trent Rockets, Birmingham, 2026, Tonight*
208/5 - Manchester Super Giants vs Sunrisers Leeds, Headingley, 2022
204/7 - Trent Rockets vs Birmingham Phoenix, Birmingham, 2026, Tonight*
201/3 - Manchester Super Giants vs Southern Brave, The Oval, 2023
201/3 - Sunrisers Leeds vs Southern Brave, Southampton, 2023
204/7 by Trent Rockets against Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston tonight is the highest second innings total in the Men's Hundred, surpassing Manchester Super Giants' 201/3 against Southern Brave at the Oval in 2023.
What a way to begin the campaign. 418 runs, 29 fours, 29 sixes, and 18 extras combined to produce one of the most entertaining matches of the season already. Birmingham Phoenix walk away with a deserved 10-run victory, powered by the explosive opening stand of Joe Clarke and Will Smeed, while Tom Banton's heroic fight ensured the Rockets never stopped believing. It was jazba (spirit), junoon (passion), and breathtaking shot-making all rolled into one unforgettable evening at Edgbaston. That's all from us for now.
Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off, along with my co-commentators, Manan Mehta, Rajarshi Das, and scorer Paras Yadav. Also, a special thanks to our statistician, AkshayaKrishna Polya. That’s it from our side. Thanks for joining. But cricket doesn’t sleep. Plenty is happening around the world. Switch tabs, follow the fun. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!!
Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off, along with my co-commentators, Manan Mehta, Rajarshi Das, and scorer Paras Yadav. Also, a special thanks to our statistician, AkshayaKrishna Polya. That’s it from our side. Thanks for joining. But cricket doesn’t sleep. Plenty is happening around the world. Switch tabs, follow the fun. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!!