Fresh from his memorable century against England at Lord’s, Rohit Sharma made a special appearance at the Kia Oval to watch MI London take on Sunrisers Leeds in the opening match of The Hundred Men’s 2026. The former India captain attracted plenty of attention from fans before the game and was also seen enjoying the action from the stands as MI London’s sister franchise kicked off their campaign in style.
The visit came just days after Rohit silenced retirement speculation with a superb 138 against England in the ODI series decider at Lord’s. Although India fell short in the high-scoring contest, Rohit’s innings reaffirmed his class, and he later made it clear that he remains focused on representing India rather than paying attention to outside noise.
Rohit Sharma grabs attention at the Kia Oval
Rohit’s arrival at the Oval quickly became one of the biggest talking points before the opening fixture. The veteran opener spent time interacting with supporters, posing for selfies and acknowledging fans before heading into the stadium. He was also spotted in conversation with Mumbai Indians owner Nita Ambani during the match. With MI London being part of the Mumbai Indians global franchise, Rohit’s presence added extra excitement to the occasion.
The Indian star heads into the upcoming international season with renewed confidence after becoming the first Indian batter to score an ODI century at Lord’s. His composed response to speculation surrounding his future also drew widespread praise, as he reiterated that his only focus is contributing to India’s success whenever he takes the field.
Here’s the video:
India superstar Rohit Sharma is at the Kia Oval tonight 🤩
After a century at Lord’s over the weekend, he’s come south of the river at the ground where the Hundred comes alive!#MILondon 💙💚 pic.twitter.com/EKkta21nXh
— MI London (@MILondonCricket) July 21, 2026
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MI London begin campaign with dominant win
MI London enjoyed a winning start to their The Hundred Men’s 2026 campaign, defeating Sunrisers Leeds by seven wickets with 16 balls remaining at the Kia Oval. After winning the toss and opting to field, MI London restricted Sunrisers Leeds to 143. Ryan Rickelton and Mitch Marsh provided an aggressive start, while Marsh top-scored with 41 off 27 deliveries. Harry Brook struck a quick six but could not convert his start after falling to Rashid Khan.
Richard Gleeson produced the standout bowling performance for MI London, claiming 4 wickets for 25 runs and dismantling the middle order. Tom Alsop’s brisk 31 helped Sunrisers push their total to 143 after a late collapse. The chase began on a difficult note as Brydon Carse removed Will Jacks and Jason Roy cheaply before Nathan Ellis dismissed James Vince, leaving MI London struggling at 51/3.
However, Sam Curran and Nicholas Pooran completely turned the contest around with an unbeaten partnership. Curran anchored the innings with a composed 60 not out from 39 balls, while Pooran unleashed a breathtaking assault, smashing an unbeaten 58 from just 22 deliveries. The West Indies wicketkeeper-batter also brought up a 19-ball fifty, the fastest half-century in MI London’s history in The Hundred.
Curran-Pooran duo’s brilliant partnership helps MI London to defeat Sunrisers Leeds by 7 wickets 🌟#TheHundred #MILondon #Cricket pic.twitter.com/jB93lS423O
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) July 22, 2026
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