Liam Livingstone’s unbeaten 69 off 27 balls powered Birmingham Phoenix to a thrilling four-wicket win over Oval Invincibles, successfully chasing 181 with two balls remaining.
Rashid Khan’s Expensive Over Changes the Game as Liam Livingstone Shines
The Birmingham Phoenix needed 61 runs from 25 balls with six wickets in hand when the Oval Invincibles brought on their trump card, Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan. Known for his ability to stifle a chase with a boundary-less over or quick wickets, Rashid seemed the perfect choice.
However, cricket had other plans. Liam Livingstone attacked Rashid Khan fiercely, smashing the world-class spinner for three sixes and two fours in just five balls, scoring 26 runs off the over. Rashid conceded 59 runs in 20 balls—the most expensive spell in The Hundred tournament and in his entire T20 career.
Previously, Rashid’s most expensive T20 spell was 55 runs conceded in an IPL 2018 match against Kings XI Punjab. This over dramatically shifted the momentum, reducing the target equation to 35 runs from 20 balls. Despite a tense last over beginning with two wickets, Birmingham Phoenix triumphed, winning by four wickets. The star was Liam Livingstone, who scored an unbeaten 69 off 27 balls, leading Phoenix to chase down a challenging 181-run target with two balls to spare.
Liam Livingstone leads Birmingham Phoenix to a memorable win
In a high-octane contest at Edgbaston, Liam Livingstone delivered a captain’s innings of the highest order, smashing five sixes in a dazzling 27-ball knock. His late surge and composure under pressure proved decisive as Birmingham Phoenix secured their first win of the tournament.
Oval Invincibles were put into bat first but had a shaky start, losing Will Jacks on the second ball. By the end of the 25-ball powerplay, they were 31 for 2, and soon after, Sam Curran’s cheap dismissal left them struggling at 34 for 3. Jordan Cox (44) and skipper Sam Billings stabilized the innings, taking the score to 70 for 3 at halfway, before Billings’ dismissal shifted momentum again.
South African Donovan Ferreira then launched a fierce counterattack, scoring 63 off just 29 balls, including a quick fifty in 24 balls and a towering six off Tim Southee to bring up the team’s 100. Rashid Khan contributed a valuable 16 off 6 balls with two sixes, while Dan Mousley’s chaotic penultimate over yielded 25 runs, including two sixes and wides. Oval Invincibles finished at 180 for 8.
The Phoenix’s chase began nervously, with Jason Behrendorff bowling 10 balls for just 5 runs. Saqib Mahmood struck by dismissing Ben Duckett, but Will Smeed fought back with a fluent 51 off 29 balls, including back-to-back sixes that shifted momentum. After Smeed’s dismissal at 91 for 3, the innings wobbled with Jacob Bethell’s wicket 20 runs later, but Livingstone took charge, smashing Rashid Khan for 26 in a single over and partnering well with Mousley to bring Phoenix close.
With three runs needed off five balls, drama unfolded as Mahmood removed Mousley and Louis Kimber in consecutive deliveries. However, Benny Howell held his nerve, driving the hat-trick ball through the covers to seal a thrilling four-wicket win for Phoenix.
Reflecting on his match-winning effort, Livingstone said, “We needed it, it’s been a bit of a disappointing start to the tournament. It’s nice to lead from the front and hopefully that gives the boys a bit of momentum and a bit of confidence.”
For his match-winning performance, Livingstone was named the Meerkat Match Hero, a performance that lifted Phoenix off the bottom and reignited their campaign in this year’s competition.
