From the brink of elimination to champions: Seifert's seven sixes fire Manchester to a maiden Hundred crown

Just two weekends after staring elimination in the face, Manchester Super Giants completed a remarkable turnaround to be crowned champions of the Men's Hundred for the first time. A blistering half-century from Tim Seifert powered the Jos Buttler-led side to a dramatic five-wicket victory over table-topping Trent Rockets in the final at Lord's, capping an extraordinary run to the title.

The triumph ended a long wait for silverware for the Super Giants franchises and marked the first time either a Manchester men's or women's team had lifted a Hundred trophy.

Seifert the destroyer

The star of the show was undoubtedly Tim Seifert, who blasted his side to glory with an explosive 72 from just 38 balls. The Kiwi opener was in irresistible form, clearing the ropes seven times as he chased down the target with two balls to spare.

His innings included the fastest fifty in the history of men's Hundred finals, and it capped an extraordinary personal run of form. Having never played at Lord's a month earlier, Seifert had struck 67 on his Super Giants debut and was their match-winner once again on the biggest stage, deservedly named the competition's Most Valuable Player.

A game-changing spell from Noor

The foundations for the victory were laid with the ball. Batting first, Trent Rockets openers Ben Duckett and Finn Allen had looked to settle after a slow start on a low-scoring Lord's pitch, reaching 48 without loss.

Then came the decisive intervention from spinner Noor Ahmad, who dismissed both openers in a game-changing four-delivery burst to reduce the Rockets from 48 for none to 52 for two. Noor finished with excellent figures of 3 for 33, choking the life out of the Rockets' innings at a crucial juncture.

Rockets restricted

Despite the early wobble, the Rockets rebuilt through an impressive innings from Aneurin Donald, who made 38 from 19 balls. However, a spell of three wickets in eleven balls, which included a comical run-out of their captain, left them reeling at 95 for five.

Useful late cameos from Lewis Gregory and others dragged Trent Rockets to a competitive 158, a total that always looked defendable on a surface where the first-innings average had been just 141 during the 2026 competition.

The Walter-Seifert launchpad

The chase began in explosive fashion, with the opening partnership breaking the back of the target. Paul Walter, whose inclusion at the top of the order transformed the Super Giants' season, contributed a quickfire 22 from 14 balls.

He and Seifert added 66 in just 31 balls, with Seifert smashing the very first ball of the chase through cover for four and clearing the leg side for six soon after. Their left-right, tall-short combination had been a revelation all season, and it set the platform for a memorable triumph.

A nervy finish

The Super Giants did their best to complicate what should have been a comfortable finish, stumbling after Seifert's dismissal with 23 needed from 22 balls. The tension rose as wickets fell and the required rate crept up.

It was left to Liam Dawson to see his side home. After two dot balls heaped on the pressure, the spinner held his nerve to smash the game-winning maximum, sending the Super Giants over the line on 162 for five and sparking jubilant celebrations at Lord's.

A stunning turnaround

The victory capped an extraordinary comeback. The Super Giants had been on the brink of elimination after losing their third successive group match two weekends earlier, only to storm to the title with five straight wins.

Their revival coincided with Jos Buttler taking over the captaincy after Aiden Markram flew home for personal reasons. Buttler marshalled a varied bowling attack superbly, and the side's collective resurgence proved unstoppable once momentum was gathered.

Ending the drought

The significance of the win extended beyond this competition. It ended the Super Giants franchises' long wait for silverware, a drought that had spanned seven IPL seasons and four SA20 campaigns without a title.

Having shed the runner-up curses that had haunted the franchise's previous iterations in earlier finals, the newly rebranded outfit finally got their hands on a trophy. Buttler admitted afterwards to a mixture of emotions, blending the euphoria of winning with relief after the nervy finish, while insisting his side thoroughly deserved it.

Heartbreak for the Rockets

For Trent Rockets, the defeat was a bitter conclusion to their summer. As the table-topping side, they had been favourites heading into the final, and the loss denied them the chance to complete a remarkable double.

Earlier in the day, the Trent Rockets women had demolished Sunrisers Leeds to win their title, meaning a men's victory would have made them the first team to win both the men's and women's Hundred in the same season. That prospect was extinguished by the Super Giants' clinical chase.

The final word

This was a triumph built on resilience, momentum and one outstanding individual performance. Tim Seifert's fireworks will grab the headlines, but the Super Giants' journey from the brink of elimination to champions was a genuine team effort, underpinned by Noor Ahmad's decisive spell and Jos Buttler's astute leadership. After years of near-misses across their global franchises, the Manchester Super Giants have finally lifted a trophy — and few could argue they did not earn it.