The Hundred Women’s 2026 kicks off at the Kennington Oval on Tuesday 21 July, with MI London Women facing Sunrisers Leeds Women. Both teams have built squads packed with international experience, so the opener should be a competitive one.
MI London Women are captained by Hollie Armitage and have a strong core in Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr and Danni Wyatt-Hodge. That mix of batting power and bowling quality makes them one of the sides expected to challenge for the title. Francesca Sweet, Alice Davidson-Richards and Nicola Carey add depth, with Tara Norris, Kirstie Gordon and Alexa Stonehouse among the likely bowlers.
Sunrisers Leeds Women are led by Danielle Gibson and will count on Deepti Sharma, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Phoebe Litchfield and Kate Cross to carry them to a winning start. Lauren Winfield-Hill and Bryony Smith are likely to be part of the batting group.
The conditions suggest a fair fight, with a first-innings total of 140 or more likely to put the chasing team under pressure. A good powerplay and smart batting in the middle overs will probably decide it, and we lean slightly towards Sunrisers Leeds Women.
