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Birmingham Phoenix face Manchester Super Giants at Emirates Old Trafford, with both sides unbeaten after winning their tournament openers. Birmingham’s win came as a surprise given they lost their captain to injury just days before the season, while Manchester’s win continued the strong start to Aiden Markram’s captaincy. In this preview you will find the match details, form, pitch report and two BP vs MSG fantasy team options, one safe and one for grand leagues.
For Indian viewers, the match starts at 7.00 PM IST, a 1.30 PM start in Manchester.
BP vs MSG Match Details
Match: Manchester Super Giants vs Birmingham Phoenix, 7th Match, The Hundred Men 2026
Date: Sunday, July 26, 2026
Time: 7.00 PM IST | 1.30 PM local, UK
Venue: Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
Streaming in India: JioHotstar
TV in India: Star Sports Network
Both Teams Won High-Scoring Openers
Birmingham Phoenix produced a real surprise in their opener, posting 214 for 4 and defending it against Trent Rockets’ 204 for 7 in a high-scoring contest, despite going in without captain Jacob Bethell and with Donovan Ferreira leading the side for the first time. Manchester Super Giants also won their opener, beating London Spirit 138 for 9 to 131 for 6. Both sides go into this match full of confidence after contrasting but equally convincing wins.
BP vs MSG Points Table
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | NRR | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Phoenix | 1 | 1 | 0 | +0.500 | 4 |
| Manchester Super Giants | 1 | 1 | 0 | +0.350 | 4 |
BP vs MSG Head To Head
Manchester Super Giants, largely under their previous identity as Manchester Originals, lead the head to head 3 wins to 2 across the last ten meetings between the two sides, including a loss in their most recent meeting last season.
BP vs MSG Squads
Manchester Super Giants: Aiden Markram (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Josh Tongue, Noor Ahmad, Liam Dawson, Leus du Plooy, Tim Seifert (wk), Sonny Baker, Gus Atkinson, Tom Moores, Tawanda Muyeye, Tom Hartley, Max Holden, George Scrimshaw, Paul Walter, James Sales, Adam Finch
Birmingham Phoenix: Donovan Ferreira (c), Will Smeed, Joe Clarke (wk), Laurie Evans, Sean Dickson, Ethan Brookes, Jordan Thompson, Mitchell Owen, Rehan Ahmed, Scott Currie, Usman Tariq, Chris Wood, Mustafizur Rahman, Saqib Mahmood, Tom Helm
Note: Jacob Bethell, originally retained and named captain, has been ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury.
Old Trafford Pitch Report: Bowling First Favoured
Emirates Old Trafford has hosted 20 matches in The Hundred, with sides bowling first winning 55 percent of the time against 35 percent for teams batting first. The average first innings score of 134 is well below what both teams managed in their openers, showing how far above par both totals were.
Old Trafford venue stats:
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 20 |
| Won batting first | 35% |
| Won bowling first | 55% |
| Average 1st innings score | 134 |
| Average 2nd innings score | 115 |
| Highest total | 193/2 by Manchester (as Originals) vs Trent Rockets |
| Lowest total | 83 all out by Sunrisers Leeds (as Northern Superchargers) vs Manchester (as Originals) |
| Highest chased | 193/2 by Trent Rockets vs Manchester (as Originals) |
| Lowest defended | 142/6 by London Spirit vs Manchester (as Originals) |
Pace has taken 62 percent of wickets at this ground across the last 10 matches against 38 percent for spin, a split that should suit both attacks given their seam-heavy overseas options.
Manchester Weather Report For BP vs MSG
Light rain is a real concern for this match. Conditions are forecast to remain wet, with humidity very high at around 97 percent, temperature close to 17°C, and rain chance as high as 61 percent. A reduced-overs match or delay is a real possibility.
BP vs MSG Probable Playing XIs
Manchester Super Giants (probable): Tim Seifert (wk), Jos Buttler (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Leus du Plooy, Max Holden, Liam Dawson, Josh Tongue, Noor Ahmad, Tom Hartley, Sonny Baker
Birmingham Phoenix (probable): Will Smeed, Joe Clarke (wk), Laurie Evans, Sean Dickson, Donovan Ferreira (c), Ethan Brookes, Jordan Thompson, Mitchell Owen, Rehan Ahmed, Saqib Mahmood, Tom Helm
Key Player Battles
Jos Buttler vs Birmingham’s death bowlers: Buttler’s power against Chris Wood and Tom Helm at the death is one of the standout individual contests of the round, and could shape Manchester’s entire innings.
Mitchell Owen vs Manchester’s spin options: Owen’s power-hitting was central to Birmingham’s high total in the opener, and how he handles Noor Ahmad and Tom Hartley through the middle overs will matter.
Aiden Markram vs Donovan Ferreira: Two captains leading their sides in unfamiliar territory this season, both off to winning starts and looking to build on that momentum.
BP vs MSG Fantasy Team (Small Leagues)
Wicketkeeper: Jos Buttler (C)
Batters: Will Smeed (VC), Heinrich Klaasen, Sean Dickson
All Rounders: Aiden Markram, Donovan Ferreira
Bowlers: Noor Ahmad, Saqib Mahmood, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Helm
Buttler is captain given his record as the format’s all-time leading run scorer, and Smeed takes the vice-captaincy after his explosive innings in the opener. Markram and Ferreira cover the all-round bases as both sides’ captains, and Noor Ahmad and Mahmood lead the bowling picks.
BP vs MSG Fantasy Team (Grand Leagues)
For grand leagues, this second BP vs MSG fantasy team brings in Tim Seifert and Laurie Evans as lower-owned alternatives to the headline names.
Wicketkeeper: Tim Seifert — differential
Batters: Jos Buttler (C), Laurie Evans (VC) — differential, Leus du Plooy — differential
All Rounders: Aiden Markram, Jordan Thompson
Bowlers: Saqib Mahmood, Sonny Baker — differential, Josh Tongue, Mitchell Owen
Seifert and Evans both offer upside without the ownership Buttler or Smeed are likely to draw. Sonny Baker is the wildcard bowling pick, capable of a breakout performance in a match that has already produced two high-scoring openers.
Also Read: TR vs LS Fantasy Team, 8th Match: Preview, Probable XIs, Pitch Report And Prediction
BP vs MSG Match Prediction
Both sides go into this match unbeaten after high-scoring wins in the opening round, making it hard to separate them on early season form alone. Manchester have arguably the deeper batting line-up with Buttler, Klaasen and Markram all capable of big scores, but Birmingham showed in their opener that they can match anyone with the bat, even without their first-choice captain. This looks like an open contest, with Manchester’s slightly stronger squad on paper giving them a narrow edge, though the weather could end up playing as big a role as either team’s form.
FAQs
Q. When is the BP vs MSG match?
A. Sunday, July 26, 2026, at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, starting at 1.30 PM local time, which is 7.00 PM IST.
Q. Where can I watch BP vs MSG live in India?
A. The match will be telecast on the Star Sports Network and streamed live on JioHotstar.
Q. Who is Manchester Super Giants’ captain?
A. Aiden Markram captains Manchester Super Giants.
Q. Who is Birmingham Phoenix’s captain?
A. Donovan Ferreira captains Birmingham Phoenix, after Jacob Bethell was ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury.
Q. How have both teams started the season?
A. Both won their opening matches. Birmingham beat Trent Rockets and Manchester beat London Spirit.