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The Hundred Men 2026 gets underway at the Kia Oval on Tuesday, July 21, with defending champions MI London, formerly Oval Invincibles, opening their title defence against Sunrisers Leeds, formerly Northern Superchargers. Both franchises go into the season under new ownership after the competition’s first ever player auction in March, though Sunrisers Leeds retained their talismanic captain Harry Brook through the changeover. In this preview you will find the match details, squad changes, pitch report and two MIL vs Leeds fantasy team options, one safe and one for grand leagues.
For Indian viewers, the match starts at 11.00 PM IST, a 6.30 PM start in London.
MIL vs Leeds Match Details
Match: MI London vs Sunrisers Leeds, 1st Match, The Hundred Men 2026
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Time: 11.00 PM IST | 6.30 PM local, UK
Venue: Kennington Oval, London
Streaming in India: Sony LIV
TV in India: Sony Sports Ten Network
Defending Champions Open Under A New Name
MI London arrive as the reigning champions after Oval Invincibles beat Trent Rockets in last year’s final, and much has changed since. Reliance Industries’ investment transformed the franchise into MI London, with Sam Curran taking over the captaincy and Kieron Pollard helping steer the club’s auction strategy. The rebuilt squad kept a strong core through the auction, headlined by Rashid Khan and Nicholas Pooran, while adding depth with the Curran brothers, James Vince and Jason Roy.
Sunrisers Leeds, formerly Northern Superchargers, offer more continuity by comparison. The Sun Group’s full takeover brought a new identity but Harry Brook was retained as captain, and Brydon Carse stayed on alongside him. The headline auction addition was Pakistan mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, signed for £190,000, making Sunrisers the first Indian-owned Hundred franchise to invest heavily in a Pakistani player, a move that drew plenty of debate given the tournament’s ownership landscape.
MI London: Star Power Built Around Curran And Pooran
MI London’s squad blends genuine white-ball pedigree with depth across all departments. Sam Curran captains a side that includes Rashid Khan’s wrist spin, Nicholas Pooran’s power-hitting behind the stumps, and the experience of James Vince and Jason Roy at the top of the order. Trent Boult adds a proven new-ball threat, while Tom Curran and Sherfane Rutherford provide further all-round balance down the order.
Sunrisers Leeds: Brook’s Continuity Amid Ownership Change
Sunrisers Leeds go into the opener with more squad continuity than most sides in the competition, having retained both captain Harry Brook and seamer Brydon Carse ahead of the auction. Mitchell Marsh and Nathan Ellis were brought in as direct signings, adding further all-round depth and death-bowling expertise. Abrar Ahmed’s signing gives the side a genuine wicket-taking spin option, while Zak Crawley and Ryan Rickelton strengthen the top order.
MIL vs Leeds Head To Head Record
Sunrisers Leeds, under their previous Northern Superchargers identity, lead the head to head 3 wins to 2 across the last five meetings between the two sides, including a win in their most recent meeting last season. With significant squad turnover on both sides since the auction, this record carries limited weight heading into the new campaign.
Kia Oval Pitch Report: Tight Contests, Bat First Marginal Favourite
The Kia Oval has hosted 24 matches in The Hundred, with a fairly even split between bat and ball, 54 percent of matches won batting first against 46 percent bowling first. The average first innings score of 145 suggests a venue that rewards good bowling units over pure power hitting.
Kia Oval venue stats:
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 24 |
| Won batting first | 54% |
| Won bowling first | 46% |
| Average 1st innings score | 145 |
| Average 2nd innings score | 132 |
| Highest total | 226/4 by Oval Invincibles vs Welsh Fire |
| Highest chased | 201/3 by Manchester Originals vs Southern Brave |
| Lowest defended | 125/6 by Trent Rockets vs Oval Invincibles |
Recent matches at the Kia Oval:
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Eliminator 1, The Hundred W 2025 | Sunrisers Leeds Women won |
| 29th Hundred Balls, The Hundred 2025 (men) | MI London (as Oval Invincibles) won |
| 29th Hundred Balls, The Hundred W 2025 | London Spirit Women won |
Kia Oval Weather Report For MIL vs Leeds
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 vs Leeds Probable Playing XIs
MI London (probable): James Vince, Jason Roy, Will Jacks, Sam Curran (c), Nicholas Pooran (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Tom Curran, Rashid Khan, Trent Boult, Richard Gleeson, Olly Stone
Sunrisers Leeds (probable): Zak Crawley, Ryan Rickelton, Harry Brook (c), Dan Lawrence, Mitchell Marsh, Tom Alsop (wk), Brydon Carse, Abrar Ahmed, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Potts, Reece Topley
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
Rashid Khan vs Harry Brook: Rashid remains one of the most economical spinners in white-ball cricket, and Brook is one of the most destructive batters in the world game. How Brook chooses to attack or rotate against him could shape Sunrisers Leeds’ entire innings.
Sam Curran vs Mitchell Marsh: Two genuine allrounders and captains-in-all-but-name of their respective batting orders. Curran’s ability to swing the new ball against Marsh’s power at the top of the order is a contest worth watching from ball one.
Abrar Ahmed vs Nicholas Pooran: Abrar’s wrist spin was the marquee signing of Sunrisers Leeds’ auction, and Pooran’s ability to counter-attack spin has been central to his reputation as a franchise finisher. This matchup could decide the middle overs.
MIL vs Leeds Fantasy Team (Small Leagues)
Wicketkeeper: Nicholas Pooran (C)
Batters: Harry Brook (VC), James Vince, Zak Crawley
All Rounders: Sam Curran, Mitchell Marsh
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Trent Boult, Brydon Carse, Nathan Ellis
Pooran is captain on the back of his reputation as one of the format’s most destructive finishers, and Brook takes the vice-captaincy as one of the best batters in the tournament. Curran and Marsh cover the all-round bases for either side, while the bowling attack leans on the two frontline spin options in Rashid and Abrar alongside proven seam options in Boult and Carse.
MIL vs Leeds Fantasy Team (Grand Leagues)
For grand leagues, this second MIL vs Leeds fantasy team brings in Jason Roy and Dan Lawrence as lower-owned alternatives to the headline names.
Wicketkeeper: Tom Alsop — differential
Batters: Harry Brook (C), Jason Roy (VC) — differential, Dan Lawrence — differential
All Rounders: Sam Curran, Sherfane Rutherford
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Matthew Potts — differential, Trent Boult, Reece Topley
Jason Roy and Dan Lawrence both offer upside without drawing the ownership Pooran or Vince are likely to see. Matthew Potts is the wildcard bowling pick, a new-ball option for Sunrisers Leeds capable of a breakout performance in a tournament opener where form lines are still being established.
Also Read: MIL-W vs SNL-W Fantasy Team, 1st Match: Preview, Probable XIs, Pitch Report And Prediction
MIL vs Leeds Match Prediction
This is a difficult one to separate given how much both squads have changed since last season. MI London retain the core that won the title, including Rashid Khan and Nicholas Pooran, and Sam Curran’s leadership adds further stability. Sunrisers Leeds counter with the continuity of Harry Brook’s captaincy and Brydon Carse’s new-ball skills, plus a genuine wicket-taking weapon in Abrar Ahmed. MI London get a narrow edge as defending champions with slightly more retained continuity in their strongest players, though this is close enough that a single big innings from either Brook or Pooran could easily decide it.
FAQs
Q. When is the MIL vs Leeds match?
A. Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at the Kennington Oval, London, starting at 6.30 PM local time, which is 11.00 PM IST.
Q. Where can I watch MIL vs Leeds 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’s captain?
A. Sam Curran captains MI London.
Q. Who is Sunrisers Leeds’ captain?
A. Harry Brook captains Sunrisers Leeds, having been retained through the franchise’s rebrand from Northern Superchargers.
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 Men last season?
A. Oval Invincibles, now playing as MI London, won the title, beating Trent Rockets in the final.