Nicholas Pooran smashed a 19-ball half-century as MI London chased down SunRisers Leeds' 143 with ease in the opening men's game of The Hundred at the Kia Oval. Pooran's 93-run partnership with Sam Curran, who made 50 off 34 balls, turned the game after a shaky start that saw Jason Roy depart for a duck on his 36th birthday.
Revamped Launch with Fireworks and Music
The tournament returned with pyrotechnics and a mid-game performance by singer John Newman, who played a set between the women's and men's games. Newman, known for hits like "Feel the Love" and "Love Me Again," performed on a small stage at a half-full Oval, but his efforts were largely ignored by SunRisers players warming up nearby.
MI London's entertainment budget was spent on fireworks, with Nita Ambani, whose Reliance Group owns 49% of the team, watching as the men's team took the field.
Women's Game: SunRisers Leeds Cruise
Earlier, SunRisers Leeds cantered to victory in the women's game, chasing a feeble target of 108. Phoebe Litchfield and Hayley Matthews impressed with big hits, despite the boundary being pushed back for the men's game—a switch that seemed condescending given the women's ability to clear the ropes. Ground staff moved branded boundary padding that repeatedly said "SIMPLES."
The new-look Hundred may be a game owned by the wealthy, but this opener belonged to Pooran.
