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The summit clash of The Hundred Men’s Competition 2024 will pit the Oval Invincibles against the Southern Brave on Sunday, August 18, at Lord’s in London. During the league stage, Sam Billings' Invincibles were brilliant, finishing atop the table with 12 points from eight games to directly qualify for the final.
Meanwhile, their opponents are coming off a hard-fought win over Birmingham Phoenix in the Eliminator on Saturday, August 17. Moeen Ali’s Birmingham won the toss and invited the Brave to bat first.
Captain James Vince continued his good form with another impressive knock, scoring 43 off 35 as the Brave finished with 126-6 in their allotted 100 balls. In response, Liam Livingstone was brilliant for the Phoenix, scoring 55 off 34. Akeal Hosein saved three runs off the last four balls, forcina a tie.
Birmingham came to bat first in the Super Five and only managed seven runs, as Jofra Archer bowled brilliantly. In response, the Brave needed just four balls to chase the target and qualify for the final.
The finalists have some massive names in their squads who can win games single-handedly. Ahead of the epic clash, let’s look at three-player matchups to watch out for in the final.
#1 Kieron Pollard vs Adam Zampa
Kieron Pollard’s performances against leg-spinners are always exciting. Even though they often triumph over the West Indian giant, if they get their line and length wrong, the ball ends up in the stands.
The right-handed batter demonstrated his prowess earlier in the tournament against the Trent Rockets when he smashed Rashid Khan for five consecutive sixes.
Pollard is a big-match player and has scored 157 runs in six innings in the tournament. To counter the explosive batter, the Oval Invincibles will rely on Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa.
The Oval Invincibles spinner has been impressive in the tournament. Zampa is second on the list of leading wicket-takers with 17 scalps in eight games. The battle between Zampa and Pollard could play a decisive role in the game.
#2 James Vince vs Sam Curran
The second battle involves two Englishmen and the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker of The Hundred Men’s Competition 2024. Southern Brave captain James Vince is by far the best batter of The Hundred 2024, and his numbers prove it.
The right-handed batter has scored 400 runs in nine games at an average of 57.14, with 90* being his highest score. The second batter on the list is Ben Duckett, with 269 runs.
Vince will look to lead from the front for the final time this season against the Invincibles. Meanwhile, dismissing Vince early could give the Invincibles the upper hand, a task that will be handled by the tournament’s leading wicket-taker Sam Curran.
The England all-rounder has been impressive with both bat and ball. He's the leading wicket-taker with 17 scalps in eight innings. The Invincibles will hope that Curran can get the better of the Brave captain in the all-important match.
#3 Dawid Malan vs Jofra Archer
Another player battle to watch out for involves Oval Invincibles opener Dawid Malan and Southern Brave speedster Jofra Archer. Malan can play an anchor role and accelerate as per the team’s requirements.
The left-handed batter has scored 182 runs in eight innings, and given his wealth of experience, Malan could play a big role in the final. Pacer Jofra Archer could be the go-to bowler for the Brave to get rid of the former No. 1 T20I batter.
Archer has picked up seven wickets in as many matches. The England pacer will look for one last push to guide his team to glory.
