8 days ago
Richard Gleeson, who was signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as an injury replacement for Nuwan Thushara for INR 1.6 crore ahead of IPL 2026, made a sensational start to his The Hundred 2026 campaign with MI London, producing a match-winning spell against Sunrisers Leeds.
The 38-year-old England pacer was drafted into RCB's squad after Sri Lankan speedster Nuwan Thushara was unable to join the franchise, with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) refusing to grant him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).
Now representing MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles), the defending champions of The Hundred, Gleeson showcased his class in the opening match of the 2026 season at The Kia Oval.
Leading MI London's pace attack, Gleeson ripped through the Sunrisers Leeds batting lineup, returning outstanding figures of 4/25. The veteran seamer struck at crucial moments whenever Sunrisers Leeds looked set to build a partnership. He also came within one delivery of a hat-trick after dismissing Zak Crawley and Benny Howell off successive ****** , putting the opposition under immense pressure.
His disciplined spell restricted Sunrisers Leeds to 143, laying the perfect platform for MI London's chase.
MI London's chase got off to the worst possible start as Brydon Carse produced a fiery opening spell, clocking speeds in excess of 90mph. The Sunrisers Leeds pacer removed Will Jacks and birthday boy Jason Roy cheaply, reducing the defending champions to 4/2. When Nathan Ellis bowled James Vince for 13, MI London found themselves in trouble at 51/3, with the momentum firmly in Sunrisers' favour.
However, the game turned completely after Nicholas Pooran walked to the crease. The West Indies star launched a breathtaking counterattack, smashing 58 off just 22 ****** *, including five fours and five sixes. He raced to his half-century in just 19 deliveries, registering the fastest fifty in MI London's history.
At the other end, captain Sam Curran played the perfect supporting role, remaining unbeaten on 60 off 39 ****** . The duo stitched together an unbroken 93-run partnership off only 40 deliveries, guiding MI London to 144/3 in 84 ****** and sealing a commanding seven-wicket victory with 16 ****** to spare to begin their ****** le defence in style.
#spell #thushara #hundred
The 38-year-old England pacer was drafted into RCB's squad after Sri Lankan speedster Nuwan Thushara was unable to join the franchise, with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) refusing to grant him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).
Now representing MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles), the defending champions of The Hundred, Gleeson showcased his class in the opening match of the 2026 season at The Kia Oval.
Leading MI London's pace attack, Gleeson ripped through the Sunrisers Leeds batting lineup, returning outstanding figures of 4/25. The veteran seamer struck at crucial moments whenever Sunrisers Leeds looked set to build a partnership. He also came within one delivery of a hat-trick after dismissing Zak Crawley and Benny Howell off successive ****** , putting the opposition under immense pressure.
His disciplined spell restricted Sunrisers Leeds to 143, laying the perfect platform for MI London's chase.
MI London's chase got off to the worst possible start as Brydon Carse produced a fiery opening spell, clocking speeds in excess of 90mph. The Sunrisers Leeds pacer removed Will Jacks and birthday boy Jason Roy cheaply, reducing the defending champions to 4/2. When Nathan Ellis bowled James Vince for 13, MI London found themselves in trouble at 51/3, with the momentum firmly in Sunrisers' favour.
However, the game turned completely after Nicholas Pooran walked to the crease. The West Indies star launched a breathtaking counterattack, smashing 58 off just 22 ****** *, including five fours and five sixes. He raced to his half-century in just 19 deliveries, registering the fastest fifty in MI London's history.
At the other end, captain Sam Curran played the perfect supporting role, remaining unbeaten on 60 off 39 ****** . The duo stitched together an unbroken 93-run partnership off only 40 deliveries, guiding MI London to 144/3 in 84 ****** and sealing a commanding seven-wicket victory with 16 ****** to spare to begin their ****** le defence in style.
#spell #thushara #hundred
9 days ago
Dubai: UAE left-arm pacer Muhammad Rohid believes the ILT20 has transformed the landscape for local cricketers by creating a clear pathway from domestic cricket to the professional stage.
Rohid's rise gathered fresh momentum when MI Emirates secured his services for $140,000 at the league's first-ever player auction ahead of Season 4. The deal made him the fifth-most expensive signing of the auction and underlined the growing confidence franchises have in homegrown UAE talent.
For Rohid, however, the significance extends beyond the financial reward.
"The biggest thing the ILT20 has done is create a clear pathway for UAE players," Rohid said. "Young cricketers can now see that if you perform well, opportunities will come, whether it's with a franchise or the national team. That's incredibly inspiring, and I hope my journey encourages more youngsters to believe they can achieve their dreams."
The left-arm seamer credits MI Emirates for accelerating his development through exposure to some of the world's leading T20 players. One of the defining moments of his campaign came in Qualifier 2, when he was told just 10 minutes before the toss that he would be playing. Rohid responded with an impressive spell of 2 for 19, dismissing Brandon McMullen and Liam Livingstone under pressure.
"The biggest lesson I learnt was to stay ready because opportunities can come at any moment," he said. "The environment taught me to trust my preparation, stay calm under pressure and back my skills."
Sharing the dressing room with stars such as Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Shakib Al Hasan also proved invaluable.
"Watching how they prepare, train and handle pressure taught me a lot. They were always willing to share advice, and Dubai: UAE left-arm pacer Muhammad Rohid believes the ILT20 has transformed the landscape for local cricketers by creating a clear pathway from domestic cricket to the professional stage.
Rohid's rise gathered fresh momentum when MI Emirates secured his services for USD 140,000 at the league's first-ever player auction ahead of Season 4. The deal made him the fifth-most expensive signing of the auction and underlined the growing confidence franchises have in homegrown UAE talent.
For Rohid, however, the significance extends beyond the financial reward.
"The biggest thing the ILT20 has done is create a clear pathway for UAE players," Rohid said. "Young cricketers can now see that if you perform well, opportunities will come, whether it's with a franchise or the national team. That's incredibly inspiring, and I hope my journey encourages more youngsters to believe they can achieve their dreams."
The left-arm seamer credits MI Emirates for accelerating his development through exposure to some of the world's leading T20 players. One of the defining moments of his campaign came in Qualifier 2, when he was told just 10 minutes before the toss that he would be playing. Rohid responde
Rohid's rise gathered fresh momentum when MI Emirates secured his services for $140,000 at the league's first-ever player auction ahead of Season 4. The deal made him the fifth-most expensive signing of the auction and underlined the growing confidence franchises have in homegrown UAE talent.
For Rohid, however, the significance extends beyond the financial reward.
"The biggest thing the ILT20 has done is create a clear pathway for UAE players," Rohid said. "Young cricketers can now see that if you perform well, opportunities will come, whether it's with a franchise or the national team. That's incredibly inspiring, and I hope my journey encourages more youngsters to believe they can achieve their dreams."
The left-arm seamer credits MI Emirates for accelerating his development through exposure to some of the world's leading T20 players. One of the defining moments of his campaign came in Qualifier 2, when he was told just 10 minutes before the toss that he would be playing. Rohid responded with an impressive spell of 2 for 19, dismissing Brandon McMullen and Liam Livingstone under pressure.
"The biggest lesson I learnt was to stay ready because opportunities can come at any moment," he said. "The environment taught me to trust my preparation, stay calm under pressure and back my skills."
Sharing the dressing room with stars such as Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Shakib Al Hasan also proved invaluable.
"Watching how they prepare, train and handle pressure taught me a lot. They were always willing to share advice, and Dubai: UAE left-arm pacer Muhammad Rohid believes the ILT20 has transformed the landscape for local cricketers by creating a clear pathway from domestic cricket to the professional stage.
Rohid's rise gathered fresh momentum when MI Emirates secured his services for USD 140,000 at the league's first-ever player auction ahead of Season 4. The deal made him the fifth-most expensive signing of the auction and underlined the growing confidence franchises have in homegrown UAE talent.
For Rohid, however, the significance extends beyond the financial reward.
"The biggest thing the ILT20 has done is create a clear pathway for UAE players," Rohid said. "Young cricketers can now see that if you perform well, opportunities will come, whether it's with a franchise or the national team. That's incredibly inspiring, and I hope my journey encourages more youngsters to believe they can achieve their dreams."
The left-arm seamer credits MI Emirates for accelerating his development through exposure to some of the world's leading T20 players. One of the defining moments of his campaign came in Qualifier 2, when he was told just 10 minutes before the toss that he would be playing. Rohid responde
