Manchester Super Giants vs Birmingham Phoenix Preview – The Hundred 2026

Manchester Super Giants take on Birmingham Phoenix in the 7th Match of The Hundred 2026 on Saturday, 26 July at 13:30 GMT. This is a season opener for Birmingham, who have yet to take the field, while Manchester sit 2nd in the early standings after a commanding win over London Spirit.

For full head-to-head records, live projections and the latest team news, visit the Manchester Super Giants vs Birmingham Phoenix fixture page on Statz.

Competition Context

Manchester have made a flying start. Their opening match against London Spirit on 23 July saw them post 138/9 and bowl out their opponents for 131/6 – a seven-run victory that puts them second in the table on 4 points, level with Welsh Fire and behind only MI London on net run rate. Birmingham, by contrast, are yet to play and sit 4th with zero points. This is a chance for the Phoenix to announce themselves early; for Manchester, it is a chance to consolidate their position.

Head-to-Head Record

These sides have met five times in The Hundred. The overall record favours Manchester 3-2, but Birmingham have won two of the last three encounters. Most recently, on 24 August, Birmingham chased down Manchester’s 109/7 with a three-wicket victory, reaching 113/3 in just 83 balls. That result underlines Birmingham’s ability to hunt targets aggressively – a trait that will be on display here if they are asked to chase.

Statz Projections

The Statz projections paint this as a coin-flip contest with a slight lean towards Birmingham.

If Manchester bat first: Projected first-innings total of 138.4, match total of 268.1. Win probability – MSG 45.6%, BP 47.9%.

If Birmingham bat first: Projected first-innings total of 140.2, match total of 269.9. Win probability – MSG 43.8%, BP 49.7%.

The projected match totals of around 268-270 suggest a tight contest with both bowling attacks rated highly by the model. First-innings totals hovering near 139-140 indicate that early wickets will be crucial.

Season Leaders – The Hundred 2026

Orange Cap – Top Run-Scorers

Liam Livingstone (London Spirit) leads the competition with 69 runs from a single innings, followed by Tim Seifert (Manchester Super Giants) on 67. Sam Curran (MI London) has 60 runs, Nicholas Pooran (MI London) 58, and Philip Salt (Welsh Fire) 47.

Purple Cap – Top Wicket-Takers

Richard Gleeson (MI London) leads with 4 wickets from a single match. Adam Zampa (London Spirit), Sam Curran (MI London), Liam Livingstone (London Spirit) and Brydon Carse (Sunrisers Leeds) all have 2 wickets.

Manchester Super Giants – Season Overview

Runs

Tim Seifert has been the standout batter with 67 runs from one match. Heinrich Klaasen contributed 17, Jos Buttler 16, Liam Dawson 9, and Gus Atkinson 6.

Wickets

Gus Atkinson and Sonny Baker both took 2 wickets in the opening match, while Josh Tongue claimed 1.

Birmingham Phoenix – Squad Overview

Birmingham have not yet played in The Hundred 2026, so this is a genuine season opener. Their squad includes experienced names like Joe Clarke, Will Smeed, Liam Livingstone and Tom Helm. In their most recent Hundred outing (August 2025), Birmingham showed they can chase effectively – they successfully hunted down 109 against Manchester, suggesting an aggressive approach to batting.

Likely XIs

Manchester Super Giants (Squad Sheet)

With only one match played, the likely XI is drawn from the verified squad:

1. Heinrich Klaasen
2. Aiden Markram
3. Jos Buttler
4. Liam Dawson
5. Tim Seifert (wk)
6. Tom Moores
7. Max Holden
8. Paul Walter
9. Josh Tongue
10. George Scrimshaw
11. Adam Finch

Birmingham Phoenix (Squad Sheet)

1. Will Smeed
2. Joe Clarke
3. Laurie Evans
4. Jacob Bethell
5. Rehan Ahmed
6. Jordan Thompson
7. Tom Helm
8. Saqib Mahmood
9. Chris Wood
10. Scott Currie
11. Mustafizur Rahman

These lineups are drawn from verified squad sheets. Always check the fixture page on Statz for confirmed XIs on match day.

Key Players

Tim Seifert (Manchester Super Giants)

The New Zealand wicket-keeper has made a stunning start to The Hundred 2026 with 67 runs from one match. His aggressive intent and ability to score quickly from ball one make him a cornerstone of Manchester’s batting. The Statz projections show him as a high-impact player across both scenarios.

Jos Buttler (Manchester Super Giants)

The England captain brings world-class experience and a strike rate of 142.7 according to the Statz model. Projected for around 31-33 runs depending on the scenario, Buttler is a captain-calibre fantasy pick with consistent scoring ability and a proven track record in T20 cricket.

Josh Tongue (Manchester Super Giants)

The pace bowler has impressed in the opening match and is projected to take 2.17 wickets in this fixture. His economy rate of 10.11 is tight for The Hundred, and he offers genuine wicket-taking threat – a rare commodity in this format.

Rehan Ahmed (Birmingham Phoenix)

The young leg-spinner is projected for around 15-16 runs and 0.83 wickets, making him a genuine all-rounder threat. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball in a season opener gives Birmingham balance and depth in the middle order.

Dream11 Tips – Captain and Vice Captain

Captain: Josh Tongue (MSG) – Projected 92.3 fantasy points. The pace bowler’s projected 2.17 wickets combined with his batting contribution makes him the safest captain choice. He has already shown his worth in Manchester’s opening win.

Vice Captain: Jos Buttler (MSG) – Projected 70.5 fantasy points. The England captain’s strike rate of 142.7 and projected 31-33 runs offer reliable fantasy returns. His experience in high-pressure matches is invaluable.

Also consider:

• Rehan Ahmed (BP) – Projected 72.3 pts – all-rounder value across both scenarios
• Gus Atkinson (MSG) – Projected 68.2-68.6 pts – 1.45 projected wickets plus batting contribution
• Scott Currie (BP) – Projected 68 pts – bowler with 1.11 projected wickets

Verdict

The Statz projections make this a genuine 50-50 affair, with Birmingham holding a marginal edge at 48.8% win probability to Manchester’s 44.7%. However, Manchester’s early momentum – a convincing opening win – and home advantage in The Hundred format cannot be ignored. The projected match total of 269 suggests a tight, low-scoring contest where bowling will be at a premium.

I am leaning Birmingham Phoenix here. Their recent record against Manchester (2-1 in the last three) and their proven ability to chase effectively give them the edge. Rehan Ahmed‘s all-round threat and the pace options of Saqib Mahmood and Scott Currie provide genuine balance. Indicative odds favour Manchester slightly at around 1.85-1.95, with Birmingham at 1.85-1.95.

Bet Builder Angles

Head to the Statz bet builder for real-time odds and hit rates on this fixture:

• Jos Buttler 20+ runs – Projected strike rate of 142.7 with 31-33 runs expected. A reliable batting line for the England captain.
• Josh Tongue 1+ wicket – Projected 2.17 wickets. The pace bowler has shown his worth in the opening match and should feature prominently.
• Rehan Ahmed 15+ runs – Projected 15-16 runs with all-rounder value. A season opener gives him a chance to make an impact.
• Gus Atkinson 1+ wicket – Projected 1.45 wickets. The all-rounder took 2 in the opening match and is a consistent threat.