Adil Rashid’s Vital Set Powers Brave to First Win

Adil Rashid’s crucial spell and run-out seal Brave’s first win.

Brave End Drought

Southern Brave ended their losing streak in the Men’s Hundred 2026 as they edged past Birmingham Phoenix by 12 runs in the Utilita Bowl clash. A low-scoring, dramatic game saw Marcus Stoinis steal the headlines, but Adil Rashid proved to be pivotal in the field as the win was being built

Innings Struggles Early On

Southern Brave were never at ease at the crease, Stoinis the only one to produce with a spectacular pair of sixes over the ropes, the latter of which almost went for another hundred metres. He made 34 before falling to Scott Currie, as the Brave posted 128 for 8, a very gettable total

Ahmed Shines For The Phoenix

Rehan Ahmed was the best bowler for the Phoenix, picking up three wickets as he held the Brave’s innings in check, and it meant that Birmingham Phoenix came out to chase what was a par total in very straightforward fashion

Chase Gets Off To A Flying Start

And so it proved as the Phoenix chased down the target with absolute ease, posting 52 for 1 at one stage with the equation never looking like it would change. The script was set for another Brave loss, but they needed something special to happen for the game to be turned around before it was too late

Momentum Shifts As Wickets Fall

Will Smeed was the first to go, caught at long-on off the bowling of Luke Wood, before Ahmed, after hitting a six of his own, miscued a slog and was brilliantly caught by Jofra Archer in the deep.

Two quick wickets saw the equation swing back in the Braves’ favour, and it was time for Adil Rashid to step in

Rashid Plays Key Role

And so Rashid bowled his medium-paced spells through the middle overs, holing out Mitchell Owen, who had shared a 51-run stand with Laurie Evans for the third wicket.

It was a very tight spell from Rashid, who bowled with real discipline to keep the run rate in check, and it gave the Brave just the platform they needed to turn things around

Pressure Mounts As Wickets Fall

With Rashid’s efforts coming to fruition, Stoinis was also able to contribute with the ball, bowling 10 successive deliveries for only three runs as the pressure really began to mount for the chasing side

With 39 deliveries left to score 64 runs, Phoenix were already five wickets down, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to see how they would recover. Rashid and Stoinis’ efforts with the bat had created a mountain for the chasers to climb

Ferreira Lowers The Chasers’ Tempo

Captain Donovan Ferreira was the next to fall, bowled by Archer for a single as the Phoenix were reduced to 65 for 4. With 39 balls left to score 64 runs, it was clear that the wickets were drying up for the Phoenix as the run chase continued to falter under the pressure of Rashid and Stoinis

Archer Keeps The Pressure Up

Jofra Archer was also very influential with the ball for the Brave, bowling a wonderful last set to restrict the chasers to two runs as he took full advantage of the space on offer. With 15 balls left to score 29 runs, it meant that there was very little to do for the bowlers in the final over

Rashid Helps Seal The Win For The Brave

Sean Dickson managed to accelerate the scoring rate with two sixes off Chris Jordan’s bowling, but Luke Wood held his nerve in the final over, picking up two crucial wickets. In the end, it was Adil Rashid who completed the job for the Brave, as he made a very composed run-out to ensure that the win was sealed

Bravery Helps The Brave Stay In The Hunt

The win saw the Brave move level with the Phoenix in the table, and it was only their second victory of the tournament so far, but it was enough to keep their Hundred hopes alive considering their indifferent start to the campaign.

For the Phoenix, it was another heart-wrenching escape as they continued to fail to deliver when it mattered most, but for Rashid, his efforts with both bat and ball saw the Brave get back to winning ways