The Hundred Women’s Competition 2026 is now heading towards its final stage, with the race for the knockout places getting more exciting. Sunrisers Leeds have been one of the strongest teams in the competition and have officially secured their place in the knockout stages. Led by Dani Gibson, the Sunrisers have put together a strong campaign and produced some impressive wins along the way. They had a few difficult results early in the tournament, including defeats against Southern Brave, Manchester Super Giants and Trent Rockets, but the team responded well and put together a strong run in August. After ending their league campaign with a convincing win over Manchester Super Giants, Sunrisers Leeds will now look to take that confidence and form into the play-offs.
A Strong Start Gave Sunrisers Early Confidence
Sunrisers Leeds started their campaign on July 21 against MI London at The Oval and made an excellent start to the competition. After restricting MI London to 107/8, the Sunrisers chased down the target in only 69 balls and won the match by seven wickets. Phoebe Litchfield and the other batters made sure the chase remained comfortable, while the bowlers had already put the team in a strong position. It was an ideal way for the Sunrisers to begin their campaign and gave the players plenty of confidence for the matches ahead. The result also showed that the team had the ability to take control of a game from the very beginning.
Their next two matches brought tougher challenges, as Sunrisers Leeds suffered defeats against Southern Brave and Manchester Super Giants. The loss to Southern Brave came in a close chase, while Manchester Super Giants also managed to get over the line in their next meeting. These results showed that the Sunrisers could be pushed when matches went down to the final stages. However, the team did not let those defeats affect their campaign. They continued to work on their game and soon returned to winning ways, starting a strong run during the second half of the league stage.
A Strong Winning Run Put Sunrisers in Control
Sunrisers Leeds started building momentum as the competition moved into August. Their match against Trent Rockets on August 2 was another close contest, with the Rockets winning by five runs. Despite the narrow defeat, the Sunrisers responded strongly in their next game against London Spirit on August 4. Chasing 137, they reached 142/5 in 98 balls and won by five wickets. The result gave them an important boost at a key stage of the competition and showed that their batting group could handle pressure during a chase.
The Sunrisers then produced two more strong performances. Against Birmingham Phoenix on August 7, they chased down 108 in just 69 balls and won by nine wickets, with 31 balls still remaining. Two days later, they faced Welsh Fire and completed another successful chase, winning by six wickets after reaching 122/4 in 74 balls. Their latest match against Manchester Super Giants at Old Trafford on August 11 was their biggest statement of the season. Sunrisers Leeds scored 166/4 from their 100 balls and then restricted Manchester Super Giants to 125/8, winning by 41 runs. The victory gave them four points and officially confirmed their place in the knockout stages.
Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland Lead the Batting
Sunrisers Leeds have received strong contributions from several batters throughout the tournament. Phoebe Litchfield has been one of their most important players at the top of the order and has scored 289 runs in eight matches. She has regularly given the team quick starts and played an important role in their successful campaign. Her ability to score quickly has helped the Sunrisers put pressure on opposition bowlers from the early stages of their innings. Annabel Sutherland has also been outstanding with the bat, scoring 273 runs at an impressive average of 91.00.
Lauren Winfield-Hill has added experience to the top order, while Bryony Smith has also played an important role whenever the team has needed runs. Dani Gibson has provided useful contributions in the middle order and has also been able to support the team with the ball. The Sunrisers have not had to depend on just one batter to carry the innings, which has been one of the positives of their campaign. Different players have stepped up at different times, giving the team a stronger batting unit as the competition has moved forward.
The Sunrisers also have plenty of all-round options in their squad. Jess Jonassen, Deepti Sharma, Darcey Carter, Bryony Smith and Annabel Sutherland give the team flexibility with both bat and ball. This allows the captain and team management to make changes according to the situation in a match. The variety in the squad has helped Sunrisers Leeds deal with different conditions and different types of opponents. With several players capable of making an impact, the team has been able to maintain a good balance throughout the league stage.
A Reliable Bowling Attack Has Been Key
The bowling attack has played a major role in helping Sunrisers Leeds reach the knockout stage. Deepti Sharma has provided an important spin option and has been useful in controlling the scoring rate as well as picking up wickets. Jess Jonassen has added another experienced spin option, while Annabel Sutherland and Kate Cross bring pace and experience to the attack. Dani Gibson has also been able to contribute with the ball, giving the captain another useful option when the team needs a change.
Hannah Baker and Cassidy McCarthy have added further bowling choices, while Sophia Turner and the other squad members give the team more depth. The Sunrisers have shown that their bowlers can perform in different match situations. In their opening game against MI London, they kept the opposition to 107/8 before completing a comfortable chase. In their final league match against Manchester Super Giants, they defended 166 successfully and kept the opposition to 125/8. Their performances against Birmingham Phoenix and Welsh Fire also showed how well they can put pressure on opposition batting line-ups.
The bowling group has also benefited from having different types of bowlers available. Spin can be used to slow down the scoring, while the pace options can be brought in to attack at important stages. This gives Sunrisers Leeds more than one way to approach a match instead of depending on a single style of bowling. Their ability to take wickets at important moments and control the run rate has been an important reason behind their strong finish to the league stage.
International Experience Adds Strength to the Sunrisers
Another major strength for Sunrisers Leeds is the international experience in their squad. Players such as Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Deepti Sharma and Jess Jonassen have played at the highest level and know how to deal with pressure. Their experience can become especially important in the knockout stage, where one poor over or one missed opportunity can change the result of a match. Having players who are comfortable in high-pressure situations gives the Sunrisers an added advantage.
At the same time, players such as Dani Gibson, Lauren Winfield-Hill and Bryony Smith have brought their own experience and energy to the side. The combination of international players, experienced domestic cricketers and younger talent has helped create a balanced squad. The league stage has also given the players enough opportunities to understand their roles and build confidence together. This could be important when they enter the play-offs, where the pressure will be much higher.
The players will also know that the league-stage results will have little importance once the knockout matches begin. The Sunrisers have done the hard work by securing qualification, but they will now have to perform again when the pressure is at its highest. Their experience should help them stay calm, but they will also need to maintain the same discipline and confidence that helped them finish the league stage strongly.
A Deep Squad Gives Sunrisers Leeds Plenty of Options
Sunrisers Leeds have a squad with good options across batting, bowling and all-round ability. Captain Dani Gibson gives the team a leader who can contribute with both bat and ball. Phoebe Litchfield and Lauren Winfield-Hill provide strong options at the top of the order, while Annabel Sutherland adds quality with both her batting and pace bowling. Bryony Smith can also contribute in more than one area, giving the team further flexibility.
The all-round options make the squad even stronger. Jess Jonassen and Deepti Sharma bring experience and control with the ball, while Darcey Carter and Chloe Skelton give the team additional choices. Behind them, bowlers such as Kate Cross, Hannah Baker, Cassidy McCarthy and Sophia Turner provide different options depending on the conditions and the opposition. The presence of Katie Jones and other wicketkeeping options also gives the team more squad depth.
This depth can become very important in the knockout stage. Different grounds and match situations may require different combinations, and Sunrisers Leeds have enough players to make those changes. They also have players who can take responsibility if one part of the team does not have its best day. The league-stage performances have shown that the team is not dependent on only one or two players. If they continue to get contributions from different members of the squad, they will have a strong chance of making a deep run in the competition.
Can Sunrisers Leeds Finish the Job and Reach the Final?
Sunrisers Leeds have already achieved their first major target by securing qualification for the knockout stages. Their strong finish to the league campaign has given them plenty of confidence before the most important matches of the season. The team has shown that it can win comfortably, chase targets under pressure and defend big totals when needed. Their latest 41-run win over Manchester Super Giants was a particularly strong performance and gave them the perfect way to finish the league stage.
The Sunrisers will now have to wait for the final positions to decide their exact route in the play-offs. The top team at the end of the league stage will go directly into the Final, while the second- and third-placed teams will meet in the Eliminator. This makes the final league positions important even for teams that have already qualified. Sunrisers Leeds will know that the knockout stage will bring a different level of pressure, and there will be very little room for mistakes.
The team has enough experience, depth and match-winners to believe that they can challenge for the title. Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland have been major contributors with the bat, while the bowling group has regularly given the team control in important moments. With Dani Gibson leading the side and several experienced players around her, Sunrisers Leeds will be confident about their chances. If they can continue playing with the same discipline and confidence they showed during their recent winning run, they could be one of the strongest teams in the race for the trophy.
Sunrisers Leeds Road to The Hundred Play-offs 2026 Fixtures
July 21, 2026: MI London vs Sunrisers Leeds – The Oval (Won by 7 wickets)
July 25, 2026: Sunrisers Leeds vs Southern Brave – Leeds (Lost by 5 wickets)
July 28, 2026: Sunrisers Leeds vs Manchester Super Giants – Leeds (Lost by 4 wickets)
August 2, 2026: Trent Rockets vs Sunrisers Leeds – Nottingham (Lost by 5 runs)
August 4, 2026: London Spirit vs Sunrisers Leeds – Leeds (Won by 5 wickets)
August 7, 2026: Birmingham Phoenix vs Sunrisers Leeds – Birmingham (Won by 9 wickets)
August 9, 2026: Welsh Fire vs Sunrisers Leeds – Leeds (Won by 6 wickets)
August 11, 2026: Sunrisers Leeds vs Manchester Super Giants – Manchester (Won by 41 runs)
August 14, 2026: Eliminator (D/N) – TBA (Reserve Day included)
August 16, 2026: Final (D/N) – Lord’s (Reserve Day included, if required)
Sunrisers Leeds Squad for The Hundred 2026
Dani Gibson (C), Phoebe Litchfield, Lauren Winfield-Hill (WK), Katie Jones (WK), Emily Windsor, Darcey Carter, Jess Jonassen, Deepti Sharma, Chloe Skelton, Bryony Smith, Annabel Sutherland, Hannah Baker, Claudie Cooper, Kate Cross, Cassidy McCarthy, Sophia Turner
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