Oval Invincibles 147 for 9 (Jacks 37, Mills 3-33, Hosein 3-34) defeated Southern Brave 130 for 7 (Davies 35, Mahmood 3-17) by 17 runs.
Saqib Mahmood ended two years of injury struggles with a match-winning performance at Lord's, helping Oval Invincibles clinch the Hundred final. In a tense chase of 148 by Southern Brave, Mahmood delivered a game-changing spell of reverse swing, taking 3 wickets for just 1 run in a span of seven balls, dismissing Leus du Plooy, Kieron Pollard, and Laurie Evans. His timely brilliance on the biggest stage of English domestic cricket reminded everyone of his talent.
This victory marked the Invincibles' second consecutive title, as they followed in the footsteps of their women's team, who won the trophy in 2021-22. The decision to retain Mahmood despite his absence due to back stress fractures paid off, further solidifying the Invincibles' reputation as the team with the clearest identity in the men's competition.
Though not truly "invincible," the team has lost only three matches over the past two seasons. Under the leadership of captain Sam Billings and coach Tom Moody, they have built their squad around three key allrounders—Will Jacks and the Curran brothers—providing unmatched balance in their lineup.
Billings highlighted Mahmood's pivotal role in the final, noting, "Saqib Mahmood came in and turned the game around with that set of 10. It was the turning point." He highlighted that the victory was a collective effort, possibly even surpassing last year's achievement, and underscored the importance of cherishing such moments with teammates.
Mahmood’s performance also served as a strong reminder to England’s selectors, especially with Australia’s tour looming in September. Having not played international cricket since March 2023, Mahmood seized his chance in the final, despite originally being a replacement for the injured Spencer Johnson. His display suggested a return to his brilliant best.
The Invincibles’ spin attack, the most prolific in the Hundred, continued to shine with 34 wickets in the season. In the final, Adam Zampa, Nathan Sowter, and Jacks took four more wickets combined, in front of a packed crowd at Lord’s.
Zampa made a crucial impact by dismissing Alex Davies with a googly after a promising start in the Powerplay. Jacks, who had earlier contributed 37 off 22 balls, celebrated passionately after bowling out James Vince, the season’s leading run-scorer. However, Evans threatened to swing the game in the Brave’s favour by hitting Zampa for consecutive boundary shots, reducing the target to 53 off 30 with seven wickets in hand. Du Plooy then drove Mahmood through extra cover, but the very next ball saw Mahmood hit back by knocking over his leg stump with a full and straight delivery.
Continuing his spell from the Nursery End, Mahmood had the old ball moving both ways. After a few dot balls to Pollard, he struck him on the knee roll with a full delivery, followed by Evans chipping to short cover, leaving Southern Brave’s chase in shambles.
Chris Jordan, fresh off his match-winning performance in the 'Super Five' of Saturday's eliminator, was the Brave’s last hope. But when Zampa, who ended the season as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 19 wickets, bowled Jordan out on his third ball, it was clear that the Invincibles would lift the trophy once again.