Jos Buttler smashed 90 runs off 50 balls to lead Manchester Originals to a dominant win over Birmingham Phoenix in the 7th match of The Hundred Men's Competition 2026, played on 26 July 2026 ESPNcricinfo.

Buttler's innings included five sixes — the ball clearing the boundary rope without bouncing, the most explosive shot in cricket — as he set the tone for Manchester's innings. The Originals posted a total of 187-5, a formidable score in The Hundred, where each side faces 100 balls rather than the traditional overs format BBC Sport.

For those unfamiliar with The Hundred, it is England's newest cricket format, launched to bring faster, simpler matches to new audiences. Each team bats for 100 deliveries, bowled in sets of five rather than the six-ball overs used in other formats. A powerplay — the opening phase where fielding restrictions limit how many fielders can stand near the boundary — applies for the first 30 balls, giving batters early freedom to attack.

Buttler, one of England's most accomplished white-ball players, used every tool in his kit. He picked gaps, found the boundary with clean striking, and cleared the rope five times across his 50-ball stay. Ninety runs at better than a run a ball is the kind of display that tilts a match single-handedly.

Sky Sports reported that Buttler led Manchester Originals to a dominant victory over Birmingham Phoenix Sky Sports. The result gives the Originals early momentum in the 2026 competition, while Phoenix are left searching for answers after a tough day in the field.

What makes Buttler's innings stand out is the sheer tempo. Scoring 90 off 50 in any format demands timing, power, and the nerve to keep attacking even as the bowlers adjust. In The Hundred's compressed structure, where every delivery carries outsized weight, an innings like this effectively takes the game away from the opposition inside a single phase of play.

The Hundred continues its 2026 edition with matches across men's and women's competitions running concurrently at venues around England and Wales.