Sunrisers Leeds booked their place in the Hundred women's final with a five-wicket victory over Southern Brave in the Eliminator at The Kia Oval, despite a late fightback from England seamer Issy Wong. Chasing a modest target of 115, Sunrisers wobbled after Wong's double strike but recovered to seal victory with 11 balls remaining. They will now face Trent Rockets in Sunday's final at Lord's.
Southern Brave posted 114-7 from their 100 balls, with Lizelle Lee top-scoring on 32 from 25 deliveries and Hannah Baker claiming 2-13 with the ball. In reply, Sunrisers reached 116-5 from 89 balls, with Lauren Winfield-Hill contributing 37 before Wong's burst of 3-21 threatened to derail the chase.
How did the chase unfold?
Sunrisers appeared to be cruising toward victory at 95-3 with 25 balls remaining before Wong intervened with two wickets in as many deliveries. Winfield-Hill was bowled for 37 by a slower ball that Wong disguised expertly, and Sunrisers captain Dani Gibson was trapped lbw first ball, giving Brave a sudden sniff of an unlikely win. However, Deepti Sharma steadied the innings with an unbeaten 28, and Jess Jonassen finished the job by striking the winning boundary off Lauren Bell's bowling.
Why did Southern Brave's innings fall short?
Brave's batting display was curiously cautious, with the side managing just 13 boundaries across their 100 balls and playing out 41 dot deliveries. Lee provided the only real momentum, including the match's sole six, but no other batter built on her start. Charli Knott's 25 from 21 balls offered a brief spark, though Maia Bouchier (15 from 17), Laura Wolvaardt (eight) and captain Sophie Molineux (22 not out from 24) all struggled to accelerate. The modest total ultimately let Winfield-Hill dictate terms after Sunrisers lost both openers early, leaving Bell, who took 1-14, and Wong on the losing side despite their efforts.
What does this result mean for Sunrisers?
The victory positions Sunrisers Leeds, formerly known as Northern Superchargers, as strong contenders heading into the final, even though Trent Rockets finished top of the table. A win at Lord's would give the Headingley-based side back-to-back Hundred titles. Notably, Sunrisers' bowlers did not concede a single wide during the match — only the 12th instance of this happening across 238 full innings in the competition's history.
Sunrisers' turnaround in form has been striking. After a promising start to the tournament that included five consecutive wins, Brave stumbled to three defeats in their final group matches, while Sunrisers finished on a four-match winning streak. That contrast in momentum was evident throughout the Eliminator. Notably, Sunrisers reached the final without significant contributions from their Australian stars Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland, who scored just four and 17 runs respectively — underlining the depth of their batting lineup, with Sharma and Jonassen both settling the chase with composure under Wong's pressure.
How have these two sides fared against each other and Trent Rockets this season?
The head-to-head history between Sunrisers and Brave added extra context to the Eliminator result. According to a match report from earlier in the season, Southern Brave had actually beaten Sunrisers Leeds by five wickets at Headingley on 25 July 2026, with Wong taking 3-15 in that encounter — making her Eliminator performance a repeat of previous success against this opponent, albeit not enough to avoid elimination this time. Sunrisers also suffered defeat against their upcoming final opponents, losing to Trent Rockets by five runs on 2 August 2026, according to ESPN's coverage of the match, a result that helped cement the Rockets' position near the top of the table. Sunrisers had sealed their own path to the knockout stages with a 41-run win over Manchester Super Giants on 11 August 2026, a result that moved them into the top three of the standings.
What happens next?
Trent Rockets had already secured top spot in the women's competition before the Eliminator was played, guaranteeing their place in Sunday's final regardless of other results, according to a report from a national broadcaster. The women's final between Sunrisers Leeds and Trent Rockets is scheduled to take place at Lord's on Sunday, 16 August 2026, with the contest set to begin at 2:15pm, followed later the same day by the men's final. The Eliminator itself had been scheduled for Friday, 14 August 2026 at The Kia Oval, with a reserve day held in place for Saturday, 15 August 2026, according to a broadcaster's coverage of the qualification permutations.
Key Facts
- Sunrisers Leeds beat Southern Brave by five wickets in the women's Eliminator at The Kia Oval.
- Issy Wong took 3-21 for Brave, including two wickets in two balls late in the chase.
- Deepti Sharma (28 not out) and Jess Jonassen guided Sunrisers home with 11 balls to spare.
- Sunrisers will face Trent Rockets, who topped the table, in the final at Lord's on Sunday, 16 August 2026.
- Sunrisers are chasing back-to-back Hundred titles under their current franchise name.
