MI London completed a seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers at the Kia Oval, reaching a target of 144 with 16 balls remaining. Nicholas Pooran's unbeaten 58 from 22 deliveries was the centrepiece of the chase, while captain Sam Curran contributed a composed 60 not out from 39 balls to see the side home.
A Difficult Start for MI London
The chase began under pressure. Brydon Carse was handed the ball from the first over and immediately made his presence felt. Will Jacks fell in the sixth ball he faced, caught by Benny Howell at cover off Carse for 2, after the delivery angled in before seaming away to draw a mistimed heave.
Two balls later, on his 36th birthday, Jason Roy edged a sharp Carse delivery to Mitchell Marsh at slip without troubling the scorers. MI London were 8 for 2 inside two overs, needing 136 from 90 balls.James Vince joined Sam Curran in the middle and the pair set about steadying the innings, though neither found fluency easily against a disciplined Sunrisers attack. Carse bowled ten consecutive overs across both ends in the early phase, finishing with a miserly 2 for 18 from 20 balls. Matthew Potts also kept things tight, and the spin of Benny Howell and Abrar Ahmed posed questions in the middle overs.
At the halfway point of the chase, MI London were 33 for 2, needing 111 from 70 balls.Vince Departs, Pooran Takes Over
Vince's stay proved patient rather than expansive. He contributed 17 from 18 deliveries before Nathan Ellis bowled him with a delivery that nipped in with pace, taking out off stump. MI London were 51 for 3 after 44 deliveries, still needing 93 runs from the remaining balls. It was at this point that Pooran walked to the crease.
The West Indian left-hander immediately shifted the match's momentum.
Against Howell, he struck three boundaries in quick succession — two fours and a six — off consecutive deliveries. Against Dan Lawrence's spin, he followed with a six that barely cleared the boundary sponge before adding another boundary. When Abrar Ahmed returned, Pooran swept one six high over square leg and slapped another over long on in the same over, adding 21 runs from five deliveries in that spell alone.Curran, meanwhile, was equally impressive at the other end. The MI London captain struck a six over straight midwicket off Abrar Ahmed and followed it with a boundary off a Potts full toss, reaching his half-century from 34 deliveries.
The pair shared a partnership of 50 from just 23 deliveries, and then pushed on further as the asking rate became increasingly manageable.The Finishing Touch
By the time Ellis bowled his final over, Pooran had reached his fifty from 19 deliveries — the fastest half-century for this franchise across all seasons, including the previous incarnation as Oval Invincibles. He finished with four fours and five sixes in his 22-ball stay. Curran ended on 60 not out from 39 deliveries, having held the innings together from the second over through to the final moments.
Matthew Potts bowled the 84th delivery of the innings and Pooran launched it beyond mid off to seal the win. MI London reached 144 for 3, the match finished with 16 balls unused, and Sunrisers had no response after what had been a competitive first half of the contest.
Pooran was named the match's standout performer. In his post-match remarks, he noted that Curran and Vince had weathered the difficult early phase and that once the floodlights came on, the ball began to slide on more readily, which suited the strokeplay of the lower-order batters. He also acknowledged the presence of his family in the stands as a source of motivation. Curran, reflecting on Pooran's contribution, remarked that he expected Pooran to enjoy batting at the Kia Oval going forward.
The result leaves MI London with a winning start to their campaign. The competition continues the following day with Southern Brave and Welsh Fire meeting in both the women's and men's fixtures.
