Captain Salt leads Fire to victory against Brave

Welsh Fire captain Phil Salt began the 2026 season of The Hundred with a match-winning performance, leading his team to a six-wicket victory over Southern Brave in Southampton. Salt, who is The Hundred's all-time leading scorer, remained unbeaten on 47 runs as his side chased down a target of 136.

Salt, a former world number one T20 batter, joined Welsh Fire as captain this year with the goal of leading the franchise to its first-ever title. Last season, both the men's and women's Welsh Fire teams finished at the bottom of their respective tables.

During the chase, Salt played a crucial supporting role early on, allowing opener Matt Short to score quickly. He then built partnerships with Joe Root (14) and Rachin Ravindra (24) to keep Welsh Fire on course. With nine runs needed from the final five balls, Asa Tribe hit a boundary, and Salt sealed the victory with a six.

Earlier, Southern Brave struggled after losing their openers for single figures. However, 18-year-old Thomas Rew provided some stability with a quick 41 off 30 balls. David Miller contributed a late surge with 44 runs from 35 balls, lifting Brave to 135-7, but it proved insufficient.

The Welsh Fire bowlers, led by Marco Jansen who took 2-17, maintained pressure throughout the innings, preventing Brave from building significant momentum.