The result gave the Super Giants a crucial net run-rate boost to pip the Sunrisers to second position and stretch the qualification scenarios into the final day of the league phase, with MI London and Welsh Fire also in the hunt.
Considering Fire’s significantly inferior net run-rate, the Super Giants may have done enough but one team that can breathe easy are the Trent Rockets, who have now officially sealed their berth in the final.
Chasing a modest target, Seifert’s memo to bump up the net run-rate was clearly on display.
Earlier in the evening, the Super Giants started off keeping things fairly tight with the new ball - particularly in light of the Sunrisers’ usually marauding ways.
Thereafter, the Super Giants kept chipping away at the wickets.
In a must-win encounter at Old Trafford, Manchester Super Giants turned in an imperious all-round performance to thump Sunrisers Leeds by ten wickets in their final league fixture of the Men’s Hundred 2026. Sonny Baker and Gus Atkinson emerged the pick of the lot with the ball as a power-packed Sunrisers batting lineup was bundled out for 127, before Tim Seifert blasted an unbeaten 40-ball 80 to orchestrate a resounding win.
The result gave the Super Giants a crucial net run-rate boost to pip the Sunrisers to second position and stretch the qualification scenarios into the final day of the league phase, with MI London and Welsh Fire also in the hunt. Considering Fire’s significantly inferior net run-rate, the Super Giants may have done enough but one team that can breathe easy are the Trent Rockets, who have now officially sealed their berth in the final.
Chasing a modest target, Seifert’s memo to bump up the net run-rate was clearly on display. Brydon Carse bowled ten on the bounce but had to bear the wrath of Seifert, who took him down for three consecutive sixes - the second of those a tumbling ramp that hit an evading spectator on the shoulder. Paul Walter was kept relatively quiet at the other end, but a 44-run Powerplay put the Super Giants well on course, the lack of wickets hampering the Sunrisers’ cause.
Seifert continued to make merry, clubbing the ball all around the ground to raise a 25-ball fifty. Two tough chances went unconverted - first with Walter on 16, as Matthew Potts leapt at long on and tipped the ball over the ropes, before Crawley put down a tougher chance with Seifert on 57. Walter used his reach to great effect against Abrar Ahmed to reel off consecutive sixes, before Seifert applied the finishing touches, with the Super Giants getting the job done with 33 deliveries to spare. That the contest ended with a wide once the scores were level summed up a miserable outing for the Sunrisers.
Earlier in the evening, the Super Giants started off keeping things fairly tight with the new ball - particularly in light of the Sunrisers’ usually marauding ways. But Mitchell Marsh soon picked up pace and Ryan Rickelton slammed a 101-metre six as they whipped up 42 together before the latter skied one up and fell to an excellent Noor Ahmad catch. Marsh slog-swept Noor for a six after a brief lull, taking him to his eighth consecutive 30+ score of the season. But the Afghan wristie had the last laugh as Marsh mistimed a very full one to mid-off.
Thereafter, the Super Giants kept chipping away at the wickets. Sonny Baker landed a decisive blow as he dismissed Harry Brook with one bowled into the pitch. Walter did the same to remove Dan Lawrence, albeit with a clever slower delivery while the stingy Liam Dawson got rid of Matthew Revis.
The Sunrisers lost their way with the scoring rate also dipping considerably in this period, with any hope of an acceleration resting on Zak Crawley’s shoulders. However, Baker ended those hopes with the wicket of the Sunrisers skipper, following which the slog phase witnessed a free fall as four wickets fell off the last ten balls. Atkinson accounted for two of those before the innings fittingly ended with a run out as the Sunrisers lost their last six wickets for 16 runs. The outcome now leaves them watching nervously on Wednesday as they hope for favours from London Spirit and Birmingham Phoenix.
