London Spirit and Birmingham Phoenix will meet in Match 28 of The Hundred Men’s 2026 at Lord’s on Sunday, August 9. Both teams have endured disappointing campaigns and will look to finish strongly after being eliminated from playoff contention.
Match details
Venue: Lord’s Cricket Ground, London
Date: August 9, 2026
Time: 10:30 PM IST, 10:00 PM PST, 5:00 PM GMT
Team overviews
London Spirit have endured a difficult season and enter the contest with just one victory from their last five matches. Their playoff hopes have already ended, but the team can still finish the campaign positively with strong performances in their remaining fixtures. The Spirit will rely on their experienced core, with Liam Livingstone leading the side and Jonny Bairstow providing considerable experience at the top of the order.
Birmingham Phoenix have endured an even tougher campaign. They have won only one of their six matches and sit at the bottom of the standings with a net run rate of -1.451. Their campaign has lacked consistency, but a victory at Lord’s would give the side an opportunity to end its run in the competition on a positive note.
Key players
Lhuan-dre Pretorius will be London’s main batting threat after producing an impressive half-century in the previous match. Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone provide considerable experience, while Dewald Brevis and Jamie Overton add further power to the batting lineup.
For Birmingham Phoenix, Mitchell Owen and Will Smeed will look to provide an aggressive start. Joe Clarke brings experience behind the stumps, while captain Donovan Ferreira offers power in the middle order. Rehan Ahmed could play a particularly important role with the ball given the expected assistance for spin at Lord’s.
Head-to-head record
London Spirit have struggled significantly in this matchup.
- Matches played: 5
- London Spirit wins: 0
- Birmingham Phoenix wins: 5
- No Result: 0
- First meeting: July 23, 2021
- Most recent meeting: August 17, 2025
Birmingham Phoenix have therefore won every previous meeting between the two sides.
Pitch report
The Lord’s surface is expected to provide a balanced contest between bat and ball. Batters could find opportunities to score freely early in the innings, while bowlers could gain more assistance as the match progresses.
Spinners could have an important role during the middle stages, particularly if the surface slows down. Pace bowlers can also create problems by varying their lengths and pace. Batters who take advantage of the initial conditions could therefore play a decisive role.
Probable playing XIs
London Spirit (Captain: Liam Livingstone)
- Lhuan-dre Pretorius
- Jonny Bairstow (Wicketkeeper)
- Liam Livingstone (Captain)
- Dewald Brevis
- David Willey
- James Coles
- Jamie Overton
- Joe Moores
- Mason Crane
- Adam Milne
- Matthew Fisher
Birmingham Phoenix (Captain: Donovan Ferreira)
- Mitchell Owen
- Will Smeed
- Joe Clarke (Wicketkeeper)
- Rehan Ahmed
- Sean Dickson
- Donovan Ferreira (Captain)
- Jordan Thompson
- Scott Currie
- Tom Helm
- Chris Wood
- Usman Tariq
Probable best performers
Probable best batter: Lhuan-dre Pretorius
Lhuan-dre Pretorius has emerged as one of London’s most exciting batting options. The South African impressed in the previous match with a powerful half-century and showed his ability to attack the bowling from the outset. He will be expected to provide another aggressive start at Lord’s.
Probable best bowler: Rehan Ahmed
Rehan Ahmed has not produced his best numbers during the tournament, but the conditions at Lord’s could provide him with an opportunity to make an impact. The leg-spinner can use variations in pace and trajectory to create pressure during the middle stages, making his spell potentially crucial for Birmingham Phoenix.
Probable match scenarios
Scenario 1: London Spirit bat first
- Powerplay: 45-55
- Predicted total: 165-175
- Expected result: London Spirit to win
Scenario 2: Birmingham Phoenix bat first
- Powerplay: 50-60
- Predicted total: 165-175
- Expected result: Birmingham Phoenix to win
The available match outlook favors the team batting first, with a competitive score likely to fall around the 165-175 range.
Toss prediction
The conditions are expected to become more favorable for bowlers as the match progresses. The captain winning the toss could therefore prefer to bat first and establish a strong total before the surface becomes slower.
Toss prediction: Team winning the toss to bat first.
Match prediction
Both London Spirit and Birmingham Phoenix have endured disappointing campaigns, but the head-to-head record gives Birmingham a psychological advantage after five consecutive victories over London. However, London’s batting lineup contains enough firepower to challenge the Phoenix attack, particularly if Pretorius and Bairstow provide a strong start. The conditions could make spin increasingly important as the game progresses, which gives Rehan Ahmed an opportunity to influence the contest for Birmingham. With both teams playing primarily for pride, the margin could remain close, but the team batting first should have the advantage.
