MI London completed a commanding seven-wicket win over Sunrisers at the Kia Oval on Sunday evening, chasing down a target of 144 with 16 balls remaining. The victory was built on a disciplined bowling performance in the first half and then sealed by an extraordinary partnership between Nicholas Pooran and captain Sam Curran in the second.
Sunrisers Set 144 as Carse Dominates Early
Sunrisers posted a total that ultimately proved insufficient, setting MI London a target of 144. The home side's bowling unit made an immediate impact when MI London came out to bat. Brydon Carse was the standout figure with the ball, removing Will Jacks and Jason Roy in quick succession to reduce the visitors to 8 for 2 inside the first ten balls of the innings.
Jacks fell for 2 when he attempted to work the ball to the leg side but was beaten by movement off the pitch, spooning a catch to Benny Howell at cover. Roy, playing on his 36th birthday, lasted just two deliveries, edging a sharp delivery from Carse through to Mitchell Marsh at slip. Carse's opening burst of ten balls cost only 8 runs and claimed both wickets, leaving MI London in genuine difficulty at 8 for 2.
Vince and Curran Provide Stability
James Vince joined Sam Curran in the middle and the pair worked to steady the innings. Neither batter found fluency against a varied Sunrisers attack that included Carse, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Potts, Benny Howell, Abrar Ahmed, and Dan Lawrence. Vince accumulated 17 from 18 balls before Nathan Ellis bowled him with a delivery that nipped in sharply and took out off stump. At that point, after 44 deliveries, MI London were 51 for 3, needing 93 more from 56 balls.
Curran, meanwhile, had been building steadily at the other end. By the time Vince departed, Curran had worked his way to 26 from 21 balls and provided a reliable foundation for what was to follow.
Pooran Changes the Match
Nicholas Pooran walked in at number five and immediately altered the tempo of the contest. Against Benny Howell, he struck three boundaries in a single over — a four to fine leg, a six over long on, and another four — collecting 14 runs from the spinner in rapid fashion. The asking rate, which had been climbing, began to fall sharply.
Pooran continued in the same manner against Dan Lawrence's spin, clearing long on for a maximum before Dan Lawrence's over conceded 13 runs in total. The West Indian then turned his attention to Abrar Ahmed, striking two sixes in consecutive deliveries — one swept high over square leg and the other slapped over long on — to give MI London clear momentum. Pooran reached his fifty from just 19 deliveries, the fastest half-century recorded for this franchise across both its Oval Invincibles and MI London incarnations.
Through the middle and closing overs, Pooran continued to find boundaries even when bowlers attempted to contain him. Against Potts he launched a six over deep midwicket from a length delivery. Against Ellis he steered fours through the leg side and extra cover region. The required run rate, which had been asking for more than nine an over, was quickly reduced to a formality.
Curran Completes a Captain's Knock
While Pooran provided the acceleration, Sam Curran's contribution was equally important to the result. The MI London captain finished with 60 not out from 39 deliveries, an innings that contained five fours and two sixes. Curran struck cleanly when the opportunity presented itself — most notably launching Potts over wide long on for six from a full toss — but he also showed discipline in rotating the strike and keeping Pooran on strike during crucial passages. The two left-handers put on a match-winning partnership of 93 runs from 40 deliveries together.
Final Over Formality
With 11 needed from the final 20 balls when Matthew Potts returned for his final five-ball allocation, the match was already beyond Sunrisers' reach. Curran pulled a full toss over long on for six to bring the requirement down to single figures, and Pooran completed the victory with a boundary driven beyond mid off to finish 58 not out from 22 deliveries. MI London reached 144 for 3, winning by seven wickets with 16 balls unused.
A crowd of 20,540 were present at the Kia Oval to witness the result. The win gave MI London a positive start to their Hundred campaign. Sunrisers had no answers to the Pooran-Curran combination once the lights came on and the ball began to slide through more quickly onto the bat.
Carse finished with figures of 2 for 18 from his allotted 20 balls — a highly economical contribution in a format where bowlers often absorb heavy punishment. Ellis took one wicket for 22 from his 20 balls. Pooran was named the Meerkat Match Hero for his 58 not out from 22 deliveries.
