MI London men thrash Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred opener
Nicholas Pooran and Sam Curran starred for The Oval bases side
Nicholas Pooran stole the show on the opening night of The Hundred with a brutal 58 not out off 22 balls as defending champions MI London thrashed Sunrisers Leeds at the Kia Oval.
Pooran blazed five sixes and as many fours, reaching his half-century off just 19 deliveries – the fastest in his newly-named franchise’s history – with captain Sam Curran also on song for MI London.
Curran finished unbeaten on 60, sharing an unbroken 93 from only 40 balls with Pooran, as MI London completed a seven-wicket victory, overhauling Sunrisers’ 143 all out with 16 deliveries to spare.
Curran earlier claimed two for 27, with Richard Gleeson the pick of the bowlers with four for 25, including Sunrisers captain and former England opener Zak Crawley, who holed out for 13.
England white-ball captain Harry Brook, the tournament’s highest-paid player after being snapped up for £465,000, dispatched Rashid Khan for a towering six but perished next ball for eight after being caught in the deep off the Afghanistan leg-spinner.
Australia T20 captain Mitch Marsh top-scored for Sunrisers with 41 while Tom Alsop made 31 but their efforts were later put in the shade by Pooran and Curran.