Raza Stars as MI London Knock Out London Spirit in Thrilling Lord's Derby

Sikandar Raza produced a match-winning all-round display on debut as MI London defeated London Spirit by four wickets in a gripping London derby at Lord's, ending Spirit's hopes of reaching the knockout stage of The Hundred.

Chasing a challenging target of 161, MI London reached 164 for 6 thanks to a blistering 32 from Raza, whose explosive cameo shifted the momentum decisively in the visitors' favour. The victory lifted MI London to second place in the standings while making London Spirit the first men's or women's team officially eliminated from the competition.

Earlier, London Spirit posted 160 for 5 after being asked to bat. South African youngster Lhuan-dre Pretorius top-scored with an impressive 52, while David Willey contributed 31 and James Coles remained unbeaten on 30. However, Spirit struggled to accelerate consistently after losing key power-hitters Liam Livingstone and Dewald Brevis during the middle overs.

One of the highlights of the innings came when Will Jacks pulled off a spectacular boundary catch to dismiss Pretorius, balancing near the rope before tossing the ball into the air and diving back to complete a stunning one-handed catch.

MI London's bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, restricting Spirit's scoring opportunities despite a spirited finish from Coles and Jamie Overton that helped the home side post a competitive total.

The chase began aggressively as Will Jacks smashed the opening delivery for six before falling on the very next ball to Matt Fisher, who had been named in England's Test squad earlier in the day. Spinner Mason Crane also made an immediate impact, dismissing James Vince with his first delivery and conceding only three runs in his opening spell.

Nicholas Pooran and captain Sam Curran rebuilt the innings with a valuable partnership before Pooran was run out by a brilliant piece of fielding from Willey. That dismissal brought Raza to the crease, and the Zimbabwe all-rounder transformed the contest with fearless stroke play.

Raza struck three towering sixes in his first seven deliveries, adding 41 runs with Curran in just 18 balls. Although MI London briefly lost momentum with the dismissals of Curran and Sherfane Rutherford, Raza's powerful hitting—including a massive 105-metre six—kept the chase firmly on track. He departed with 10 balls remaining, but Ollie Pope ensured MI London crossed the finish line with four wickets in hand.

The match was played in front of a record group-stage crowd of 27,721 at Lord's and featured several heated exchanges between the two London rivals, adding extra intensity to an already high-stakes encounter.

Reflecting on his memorable debut, Raza said he was delighted to make an immediate impact after arriving from international duty.

"Four days ago I was in Sri Lanka and I'm not really sure what day or date it is, but it's nice to be part of The Hundred and have a debut like that," Raza said. "I couldn't have asked for a better start. It was nice to get a few out of the middle, and you need to remember the complexion of a game can completely change in 10 balls."

The victory strengthens MI London's push for the knockout stages, while London Spirit's disappointing campaign comes to an end despite the passionate home support.