London Spirit face Birmingham Phoenix in Match 28 of The Hundred 2026 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, on Sunday 9 August 2026, starting at 18:00 BST (UTC+1). Lord’s holds 30,000 and has hosted cricket since 1814; as the Home of Cricket, it brings a gravitas to every match that no other venue in the competition can replicate.

London Spirit are the reigning men’s champions, having won the 2023 Hundred final at this same ground. That context elevates this match: Spirit are defending at their home venue, and the 30,000-capacity crowd will be squarely behind them. Glenn Maxwell’s match-turning power, Zak Crawley’s elegant stroke-making, and Dan Lawrence’s versatility make Spirit one of the strongest batting line-ups in the competition.

Birmingham Phoenix are built around two of the English game’s most versatile all-rounders. Moeen Ali combines off-spin wickets with middle-order clean hitting; Liam Livingstone adds leg-spin and explosive power across any phase of play. Chris Woakes provides the seam-bowling expertise that Phoenix can rely on regardless of conditions.

With the group stage approaching its conclusion, this match carries playoff implications for both sides. A defeat here may not be fatal to playoff hopes, but it narrows the margin for error significantly. Teams that have struggled for consistency will need a result at Lord’s.

Lord’s famous slope runs from the Pavilion End down toward the Nursery End, creating a gradient of approximately 2.5 metres across the square. Bowlers who understand the slope’s effect on line and trajectory gain a consistent advantage. The groundstaff’s pitch preparation decisions take on added significance for a match at this stage of the tournament.

When is London Spirit vs Birmingham Phoenix? The match starts at 18:00 BST (UTC+1) on 9 August 2026. Indian fans in Mumbai watch at 22:30 IST (UTC+5:30). Australian fans in Sydney tune in at 03:00 AEST (UTC+10) on 10 August. Viewers in New York catch it at 13:00 EDT (UTC-4). For real-time conversions, check London time and United Kingdom time.

The Victorian Long Room at Lord’s, through which players walk to the middle, adds a ritual weight to the occasion. The futuristic media centre at the Nursery End provides a visual counterpoint to the ground’s 19th-century pavilion. At Lord’s, cricket’s oldest traditions and its newest formats coexist in a way that no other ground achieves.