Table of Contents
The Hundred Women 2026 gets underway at the Kia Oval on Tuesday, July 21, with defending champions Sunrisers Leeds Women, formerly Northern Superchargers, facing a heavily rebuilt MI London Women, formerly Oval Invincibles. Both franchises enter this season under new ownership after the competition’s first ever player auction in March, and both go into the opener with new captains. In this preview you will find the match details, squad changes, pitch report and two MIL-W vs SNL-W fantasy team options, one safe and one for grand leagues.
For Indian viewers, the match starts at 7.15 PM IST, a 2.45 PM start in London.
MIL-W vs SNL-W Match Details
Match: MI London Women vs Sunrisers Leeds Women, 1st Match, The Hundred Women 2026
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Time: 7.15 PM IST | 2.45 PM local, UK
Venue: Kennington Oval, London
Streaming in India: Sony LIV
TV in India: Sony Sports Ten Network
Defending Champions Open Their Title Defence, Under a New Name
Sunrisers Leeds arrive as the reigning champions after Northern Superchargers won the title last season, beating Southern Brave in the final at Lord’s. Almost everything else about the franchise has changed since then. The Sun Group completed a full takeover in a deal worth around £100 million, the team has been renamed and rebranded, and title-winning captain Hollie Armitage is no longer part of the setup, having been signed by MI London at the auction. England all-rounder Dani Gibson takes over the captaincy after becoming the tournament’s highest-paid English player at £190,000.
MI London, formerly Oval Invincibles, go into the new season looking to bounce back from a difficult 2025, when they finished sixth with just two wins from eight games under Lauren Winfield-Hill. Reliance Industries’ investment in the club has brought a rebuild built around retained stars Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr, with Armitage now captaining the side.
MI London Women: Rebuilt Around Matthews and Kerr
MI London go into the opener with a squad built around two of white-ball cricket’s most destructive all-rounders, Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr, both retained ahead of the auction. Danni Wyatt-Hodge adds further firepower at the top of the order, while Nicola Carey and Chinelle Henry strengthen the all-round options. New captain Hollie Armitage brings title-winning experience from her time leading Northern Superchargers, and homegrown gems Kira Chathli behind the stumps and Kirstie Gordon with left-arm spin round out a squad with a genuine blend of star power and depth.
Sunrisers Leeds Women: Balance Built to Defend the Title
Sunrisers Leeds have kept much of their championship-winning core intact. Annabel Sutherland, last year’s most valuable player, and tournament-leading run scorer Phoebe Litchfield both return, alongside Kate Cross, who was retained ahead of the auction. India’s Deepti Sharma adds another proven all-round option, and left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen brings further balance to a side that looks strong in all departments. New captain Dani Gibson takes on the leadership for the first time in her career, with senior figures like Cross around her to help manage the step up.
MIL-W vs SNL-W Head To Head Record
Sunrisers Leeds, under their previous Northern Superchargers identity, lead the head to head 4 wins to 1 across the last five meetings between the two sides, including a win in their most recent meeting last season. With so much squad turnover on both sides since the auction, though, this record carries limited weight heading into the new campaign.
Kia Oval Pitch Report: Historically Tight, Bowler-Friendly Chases
The Kia Oval has hosted 15 matches in The Hundred Women’s competition, with a fairly even split between bat and ball, 47 percent of matches won batting first against 53 percent bowling first. Scores have generally been on the lower side for the format, with an average first innings total of 127 and an average second innings total of 113, suggesting sides batting first should look to build a defendable total rather than simply chase big.
Kia Oval venue stats:
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 15 |
| Won batting first | 47% |
| Won bowling first | 53% |
| Average 1st innings score | 127 |
| Average 2nd innings score | 113 |
| Highest total | 214/5 by Sunrisers Leeds vs London Spirit |
| Lowest total | 64 all out by Oval Invincibles vs Northern Superchargers |
Recent matches at the Kia Oval:
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Eliminator 1, 2025: Sunrisers Leeds vs London Spirit | Sunrisers Leeds won |
| 29th Match, 2025 (men): London Spirit vs MI London | Oval Invincibles won |
| 29th Match, 2025 (women): London Spirit vs MI London | London Spirit won |
Kia Oval Weather Report For MIL-W vs SNL-W
Conditions in London in late July are typically mild, and there is no significant rain threat expected for the opener, with a full match likely.
MIL-W vs SNL-W Probable Playing XIs
MI London Women (probable): Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, Hollie Armitage (c), Chinelle Henry, Kira Chathli (wk), Nicola Carey, Alice Davidson-Richards, Kirstie Gordon, Alexa Stonehouse, Tara Norris
Sunrisers Leeds Women (probable): Phoebe Litchfield, Bryony Smith, Dani Gibson (c), Deepti Sharma, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Kate Cross, Rachel Slater, Maddie Ward, Cassidy McCarthy
With both squads freshly assembled through the auction, the actual combinations used may take a match or two to settle. These are the strongest XIs on paper based on auction spend and role balance.
Key Player Battles
Hayley Matthews vs Annabel Sutherland: Matthews is one of the most explosive top order batters in the world game, while Sutherland was the standout performer of last season’s competition. How Sutherland’s pace and bounce deal with Matthews in the powerplay could set the tone for the innings.
Amelia Kerr vs Deepti Sharma: Two of the finest spin-bowling all-rounders in the women’s game go head to head. Both are capable of controlling the middle overs and contributing heavily with the bat, making this a genuine battle of craft.
Hollie Armitage vs Her Old Team: Armitage led Northern Superchargers to the title last year and now returns to the Kia Oval leading their opponents. Her familiarity with what made that Sunrisers Leeds core so successful adds a personal edge to the contest.
MIL-W vs SNL-W Fantasy Team (Small Leagues)
Wicketkeeper: Kira Chathli
Batters: Hayley Matthews (C), Phoebe Litchfield (VC), Danni Wyatt-Hodge
All Rounders: Amelia Kerr, Annabel Sutherland
Bowlers: Deepti Sharma, Jess Jonassen, Kate Cross, Alexa Stonehouse, Nicola Carey
Matthews is captain on the back of her explosive record at the top of the order, and Litchfield takes the vice-captaincy after finishing as last season’s leading run scorer. Kerr and Sutherland cover the all-round bases from either side, and the bowling attack blends the two best spin options in Sharma and Jonassen with proven seam options in Cross and Stonehouse.
MIL-W vs SNL-W Fantasy Team (Grand Leagues)
For grand leagues, this second MIL-W vs SNL-W fantasy team brings in Hollie Armitage as captain given her personal storyline against her old side, along with a couple of lower-owned picks.
Wicketkeeper: Kira Chathli
Batters: Hollie Armitage (C), Bryony Smith (VC) — differential, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
All Rounders: Amelia Kerr, Deepti Sharma
Bowlers: Kirstie Gordon — differential, Jess Jonassen, Kate Cross, Rachel Slater — differential, Chinelle Henry
Bryony Smith offers a point of difference at the top of the Sunrisers Leeds order without the ownership Litchfield is likely to draw. Kirstie Gordon’s left-arm spin and Rachel Slater’s seam bowling are both lower-profile picks capable of a breakout performance in a tournament opener where form lines are still being established.
Also Read: LAKR vs WF Fantasy Team, Final: MLC 2026 Preview
MIL-W vs SNL-W Match Prediction
This is genuinely difficult to call given how much both squads have changed since last season. Sunrisers Leeds retain more of their title-winning core, with Sutherland, Litchfield and Cross all returning, and that continuity could count for a lot in an opener where combinations are still bedding in. MI London have arguably strengthened at the top with Matthews and Wyatt-Hodge, but Armitage is captaining a largely new group for the first time. Sunrisers Leeds get a narrow edge on squad continuity and pedigree as defending champions, though this is close enough that early boundaries and a strong powerplay could easily decide it either way.
FAQs
Q. When is the MIL-W vs SNL-W match?
A. Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at the Kennington Oval, London, starting at 2.45 PM local time, which is 7.15 PM IST.
Q. Where can I watch MIL-W vs SNL-W live in India?
A. The match will be telecast on Sony Sports Ten Network and streamed live on Sony LIV.
Q. Who is MI London Women’s captain?
A. Hollie Armitage captains MI London Women after being signed at the March 2026 auction. She previously captained Northern Superchargers, now Sunrisers Leeds.
Q. Who is Sunrisers Leeds Women’s captain?
A. Dani Gibson captains Sunrisers Leeds Women, taking over from Hollie Armitage after being signed for a record £190,000 at the auction.
Q. Are Oval Invincibles and Northern Superchargers still around?
A. No. Oval Invincibles have been rebranded MI London following Reliance Industries’ investment, and Northern Superchargers have been rebranded Sunrisers Leeds following a full takeover by the Sun Group.
Q. Who won The Hundred Women last season?
A. Northern Superchargers, now playing as Sunrisers Leeds, won the title, beating Southern Brave in the final at Lord’s.