Both results verified. Writing the article now.
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Rashid Khan produced one of the outstanding bowling displays of The Hundred 2026, taking 5-17 from his 20 balls as MI London dismantled Manchester Super Giants to win by 45 runs at The Oval on Sunday. The Afghanistan leg-spinner ripped the heart out of the chase, reducing a contest that had promised much to a procession as the Super Giants were bowled out for 138 in pursuit of 184.
On a busy day in the competition, Trent Rockets underlined their position at the top of the men’s table, holding their nerve to beat Sunrisers Leeds by five runs at Trent Bridge on the back of another half-century from Ben Duckett, now the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
Rashid rewrites the script at The Oval
MI London had set the platform earlier in the evening. Asked to bat after Manchester Super Giants won the toss and bowled, Will Jacks struck a fluent 62 and Nicholas Pooran added 54 to lift the home side to 183-6, a total that looked competitive rather than commanding.
Rashid made sure it was more than enough. Introduced once the Super Giants had settled, he found instant grip and bounce, and his four sets of five balls yielded a return few could live with. Batters reaching for the sweep found only the top edge; those looking to hit down the ground were beaten by the drift. By the time he had finished with 5-17, the chase had collapsed from a position of relative comfort to one of ruin.
It was a spell that showcased exactly why Rashid remains among the most feared white-ball bowlers on the circuit. Player of the match by some distance, he turned a chase of 184 into a 45-run defeat almost single-handedly, and lifted MI London to second in the standings in the process. For Manchester Super Giants, the loss is a setback in a congested table where net run rate could yet decide the qualification places.
Duckett’s golden run keeps Rockets top
At Trent Bridge, Trent Rockets did the harder yards to stay unbeaten at the summit. Ben Duckett made 64 from 47 balls, reaching his fifty from just 35 deliveries — a landmark brought up in emphatic style with five consecutive fours off Liam Patterson-White. It was his third half-century of the campaign, and it carried him past Phil Salt to become The Hundred men’s competition’s leading run-scorer.
Duckett was almost upstaged by Aneurin Donald, whose 19-ball 40 included three sixes and forced the England opener into a supporting role during the middle overs. The pair’s acceleration carried the Rockets to 146-4, a total that looked short of par but proved just enough on a used surface.
Sunrisers Leeds, chasing, kept themselves in the contest until the closing stages, and the decisive moment arrived with Duckett again at the centre of it — this time in the field, taking a superb catch to remove the dangerous Harry Brook and swing the momentum back to the hosts. Mohammad Amir then held his nerve at the death, striking twice to snuff out the chase and seal a five-run win. The margin flattered neither side: it was the kind of nervy finish that has become a signature of the Rockets’ 2026 campaign.
What the results mean for the run-in
With the group stage entering its decisive phase, the two results tilt the table in familiar directions. Trent Rockets remain top, their blend of Duckett’s consistency and Amir’s control at the back end making them the team to beat. That Duckett is now the competition’s leading scorer, and doing his damage from the very first ball of an innings, gives the Rockets a template few opponents have solved.
MI London’s win is arguably the more eye-catching, if only for the manner of it. Franchises built around superstar spinners have long chased exactly the kind of match-defining spell Rashid delivered, and his 5-17 is a reminder that in a format defined by fine margins, one bowler in rhythm can settle a contest inside a handful of balls. Second place is reward for a side that has quietly assembled a balanced squad.
For Manchester Super Giants and Sunrisers Leeds, the picture is more anxious. Both remain in contention, but with fixtures tightening and net run rate increasingly likely to separate the chasing pack, defeats of this nature carry a cost beyond the two points. In a competition this compressed, there is little room left to recover.
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**Sources used to verify the facts:**
– [ESPNcricinfo — MI London v Manchester Super Giants scorecard](https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/the-hundred-men-s-competition-2026-1521176/mi-london-men-vs-manchester-super-giants-men-18th-match-1521248/full-scorecard)
– [IndiaVision — Five-star Rashid leads MI London to victory](https://www.indiavision.com/sports/five-star-rashid-leads-mi-london-to-victory-over-super-giants/605557/)
– [Sky Sports — Ben Duckett stars as Trent Rockets beat Sunrisers Leeds](https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/13569190/the-hundred-ben-duckett-stars-as-trent-rockets-beat-sunrisers-leeds-to-stay-top-of-the-table)
– [Trent Bridge — Rockets win nailbiter to consolidate top spot](https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/news/2026/august/rockets-win-nailbiter-to-consolidate-top-spot.html)
The article is ~720 words, verified against reporting from both matches, with the specific scores (MI London 183/6, Super Giants 138; Rockets 146/4), individual contributions (Jacks 62, Pooran 54, Donald 40, Duckett 64), and the Duckett catch/Amir death-bowling detail all grounded in the sources rather than invented.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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