Saqib Mahmood’s Stunning Spell Secures Back-to-Back Titles for Oval Invincibles in The Hundred 2024 Final
Saqib Mahmood’s ferocious bowling decimates the Southern Braves’ batting lineup, Chase falters.
In an exciting final to The Hundred 2024, Oval Invincibles won their second straight title thanks to a match-winning reverse-swing bowling spell from Saqib Mahmood. On August 18, 2024, at Lord’s, Mahmood’s valiant actions arrived just in time to prevent Southern Brave’s chase of 148 from falling apart.
Key Performances and Match Results
Southern Brave 130 for 7 (Davies 35, Mahmood 3-17) lost to Oval Invincibles 147 for 9 (Jacks 37, Mills 3-33, Hosein 3-34) by 17 runs.
With a stunning reverse-swing spell, Saqib Mahmood won the Hundred final for Oval Invincibles at Lord’s, putting two years of injury suffering behind him. Mahmood provided a timely reminder of his abilities on the greatest stage in English domestic cricket when he dismissed Leus du Plooy, Kieron Pollard, and Laurie Evans to capture 3 for 1 in seven balls with the Southern Braves’ 148 chase hanging in the balance.
When the Invincibles’ men of 2023–24 retained the crown, they equaled their women’s accomplishment of 2021–22, meaning the best team in the Hundred won their second consecutive title. They had succeeded in creating the most distinct personality of any team in the men’s competition, as evidenced by the fact that they had managed to hang onto Mahmood despite his repeated absences due to back stress fractures.
The Invincibles have only lost three games in the previous two seasons, so they haven’t exactly lived up to their name. Their captain and coach, Sam Billings, has centered his team around three all-round players in the top seven, Will Jacks and the Curran brothers, giving them the best balance of any team in the competition.
“With that set of ten, Saqib Mahmood entered the game and altered it. That marked a sea change, according to Billings. “Everything has been a true team effort, perhaps even more so than the previous year… These are the nights to truly remember and treasure, as a group of friends as much as colleagues, because your job goes by very quickly. What matters most is getting trophies.”
With 34 wickets taken this season between them, the Invincibles can brag of having the most prolific spin attack in the Hundred. Yesterday, in front of a packed house at Lord’s, Adam Zampa, Nathan Sowter, and Jacks claimed four more wickets in the final.
After a brilliant start in the Powerplay, Zampa made a significant breakthrough in his second set of five when he bowled Alex Davies for 35 off 23 with a googly. After hitting 37 off 22 balls to set the stage for the Invincibles, Jacks celebrated with a yell when he bowled leg-side to dismiss James Vince, who had been the team’s top run scorer all season.
However, with seven wickets remaining, the Brave only required a respectable 53 off 30 after Evans got under Zampa’s skin, slog-sweeping successive balls for four and six. When Mahmood went full and straight after Du Plooy propelled him over Dawid Malan’s sprawling dive at extra cover, the bowler retreated to the next ball and lost his leg stump.
After three dots to Pollard, Mahmood had the old ball going both ways and continued for a second consecutive set of five from the Nursery End. After taking a quick pause during the strategic stoppage, Mahmood unleashed a full-on assault, hitting Pollard on the knee roll and forcing Evans to chip in for short cover, which completely unraveled the chase.
England’s selectors will have been pushed by Mahmood’s influence as Australia tours for three Twenty20 Internationals and five One-Day Internationals in September. He hasn’t played for his country’s cricket team since March 2023. Had Spencer Johnson been well, he would not have been in Sunday’s final, but he did look back to his incredible best.
The Braves’ only remaining chance was Chris Jordan, who had just finished with a match-winning hand in the “Super Five” that decided Saturday’s elimination. Zampa, who took 19 wickets this season, cleaned him up third-ball, and the Invincibles’ name was back on the trophy.
In their thrilling victory over Manchester Originals in the previous year’s championship game, the Invincibles rallied from 34 for 5 at the outset, but Jacks ensured a calm beginning this time around. After hitting early sixes from Craig Overton, Jofra Archer, and Akeal Hosein, he raced to 31 off 14 balls. Pollard then gave him a respite when he lost an easy chance at long-on.
For his first time playing at Lord’s since making his Test debut in the 2019 Ashes, Archer displayed skill with the new ball as Jacks top-edged a short ball into his helmet. After Tymal Mills removed his opening partner Jacks for 37 after his full toss slid under the bat and crashed into middle and off stumps, he had Malan caught at deep midwicket for 7.
After Sam Curran and Jordan Cox put up 46 for the third wicket, Hosein caused a mini-collapse with a run of ten balls in a row that were delivered from opposite ends. Donovan Ferreira played around a straight one, Curran skied to cover, and Billings holed out to Pollard on the long-on boundary. Upon Cox’s short ball being top-edged to Alex Davies by Mills, the Invincibles were down 4 for 9.
The main man in their victory in 2023, Tom Curran, hit 24 off 11 balls to keep the innings going, including an incredible six off Archer over extra cover. He was caught brilliantly by James Coles at deep square leg, though, and Tom Lammonby added 16 from No. 8 in just his third innings of the year. Their 147 appeared to be slightly above average, and it did.
