Joe Root, with an unbroken knock of 58 runs, helped Welsh Fire win against Birmingham Phoenix by 7 wickets in the 15th game of the Men’s Hundred played at Edgbaston on August 1. Chasing a target of 138, Welsh Fire completed the win with four balls to spare, securing their third victory in four matches.
The result came just days after Root’s reappointment as England’s Test captain was officially confirmed by the ECB, adding extra significance to his match-winning innings in front of Birmingham Phoenix investor Jude Bellingham, who watched from the stands.
Root and Salt Set Up the Chase
Batting first, Birmingham Phoenix posted 137 for 9 in their 100 balls, with Joe Clarke top-scoring at 35. Lockie Ferguson and Marco Jansen were the pick of the bowlers for Welsh Fire, each finishing with figures of two wickets. In reply, Welsh Fire got off to a strong start as Root, promoted to open in the absence of Matt Short, combined with Phil Salt for a 77-run opening partnership.
Salt made 46 off 36 balls, hitting four sixes, and survived an early scare when he was dropped on 4 following a no-ball from Saqib Mahmood. Root, meanwhile, batted with control throughout his innings, ending unbeaten on 58 from 40 deliveries as Welsh Fire chased down the total comfortably.
Middle-Order Wobble Fails to Derail Welsh Fire
Welsh Fire lost momentum briefly after Salt’s dismissal, as Rachin Ravindra struggled to find fluency on a tricky pitch before being dismissed by Chris Wood. His departure left the target at 42 runs from 31 balls, bringing Jordan Cox to the crease. Cox made a swift response with a 20 to overcome a challenging spell for the Welsh Fire team due to the spin bowling of Usman Tariq from the Pakistani side.
Although there was a small decline in the performance of the team, Root still maintained his composure at the other end of the pitch. With just five runs required from the final six balls, Root sealed the win in style, reverse-scooping Mahmood for four before running through for the winning single.
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Phoenix Batting Struggles Continue Amid Losing Streak
Earlier in the match, Birmingham Phoenix found batting difficult against a varied Welsh Fire bowling attack that used five international bowlers. Jordan Cox played a key role with the ball as well, taking two sharp catches to dismiss Mitchell Owen and Joe Clarke, the latter being the only Phoenix batter to look genuinely settled during the innings.
Rehan Ahmed showed brief promise but was involved in two costly mix-ups that contributed to the Phoenix’s innings losing shape in the closing overs. The defeat marks Birmingham Phoenix’s third consecutive loss in the competition, leaving their qualification hopes under pressure. The side will now need to win all four of their remaining matches to have a realistic chance of reaching the knockout stage.
Speaking after the match, Root credited his side’s depth and tactical clarity, saying their bowling variety and clear chasing strategy have been central to their recent success. Welsh Fire will be heading into their home game in Cardiff against Southern Brave with confidence, with Root setting the example in the Men’s Hundred 2026 season.
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