Sunrisers Leeds vs Welsh Fire Prediction & Match Preview – The Hundred 2026, Match 27

Sunrisers Leeds welcome Welsh Fire to Headingley on Sunday 9 August for the 27th match of The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026. It is an afternoon fixture, with cloud possible early and conditions otherwise mild.

Leeds have a powerful top six on paper, led by captain Zak Crawley with Mitchell Marsh, Ryan Rickelton, Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence and Matthew Revis. Their attack is built around Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Nathan Ellis, Reece Topley and the spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Welsh Fire answer with Philip Salt, who captains and keeps wicket, alongside Matthew Short, Joe Root, Rachin Ravindra and Jordan Cox. Marco Jansen, Chris Woakes, Lockie Ferguson and Sam Cook provide a quality pace group.

With both teams strong in the first half of the innings, the powerplay and the middle phase should decide the game. We expect seam movement early and easier batting later, and rate Welsh Fire marginally ahead.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Headingley is expected to give a fair contest. Seamers should get swing and movement with the new ball, especially under cloud, before the surface becomes better for batting. A quick outfield and shorter square boundaries help boundary hitters, while spinners can still contribute in the middle overs by varying pace.

Weather

Sunday 9 August should be pleasant in Leeds, around 22°C at the 2:30 pm local start, with partly cloudy skies and some sunny spells. Rain is unlikely, and a gentle breeze could help the seamers early. Dew is not expected to matter in an afternoon game.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 150–165
• 2nd innings: 145–160

About The Hundred