Welsh Fire captain Phil Salt led his team to a six-wicket victory over Southern Brave in their opening match of The Hundred 2026 season. Salt’s unbeaten 47-run innings anchored the chase in Southampton, securing the win with two balls to spare.
The former world No. 1 T20 batter, who is The Hundred's all-time leading scorer with 1,138 runs, aims to guide the Welsh franchise to their first title. The team finished last in both men's and women's standings in the previous season.
Southern Brave batted first and posted 135 for 7 in their 100 balls. Despite early wickets, 18-year-old Thomas Rew contributed 41 runs off 30 balls, and David Miller added 44 runs off 35 balls, helping to rebuild the innings. Marco Jansen was a key bowler for Welsh Fire, taking two wickets for 17 runs.
In response, Welsh Fire opener Matt Short scored a quick 20. Salt then played a crucial role, building partnerships with Joe Root (14) and Rachin Ravindra (24) to keep the team on track. With nine runs needed in the final five balls, Asa Tribe hit a boundary, and Salt sealed the victory with a six. Chaudhary was the pick of the bowlers for Southern Brave, taking two wickets for 19 runs.