Manchester Super Giants look to bounce back from a heavy 45-run defeat to MI London when they host a red-hot Welsh Fire side that has now won four of its last five, including a season double over Southern Brave.
This preview covers both squads, conditions at Old Trafford, and our prediction for Match 21 of The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026.
Manchester Super Giants vs Welsh Fire Match 21 – Details
Welsh Fire arrive in Manchester on the back of a six-wicket win over Southern Brave, keeping pace with table-topping Trent Rockets, while Super Giants will want to respond after Rashid Khan’s 5-17 dismantled them at The Oval.
| Match | 21st Match, Manchester Super Giants vs Welsh Fire |
| Tournament | The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026 (6th edition) |
| Date | Wednesday, 5 August 2026 |
| Venue | Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester |
| Start Time | 3:00 PM local / BST, 7:30 PM IST |
Winning Odds for MSG vs WF Match 21
| Platform | MSG Win Odds | WF Win Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1xBet | 2.26 | 1.48 |
| 4rabet | 2.30 | 1.50 |
| BetVibe | 2.21 | 1.45 |
| Stake | 2.32 | 1.54 |
Manchester Super Giants & Welsh Fire Squads for The Hundred 2026
Aiden Markram’s Super Giants still boast serious firepower in Jos Buttler and Heinrich Klaasen, but their batting has faded after the powerplay in The Hundred 2026 matches. Welsh Fire, led by Phil Salt, have the tournament’s form middle order in Matt Short and Joe Root, backed by an experienced seam attack in Chris Woakes, Sam Cook and Lockie Ferguson.
Manchester Super Giants
Aiden Markram (c), Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Leus du Plooy, Tom Hartley, Max Holden, Heinrich Klaasen, Tom Moores, Tawanda Muyeye, Noor Ahmad, George Scrimshaw, Tim Seifert, Josh Tongue, Paul Walter.
Welsh Fire
Phil Salt (c), Marco Jansen, Rachin Ravindra, Chris Woakes, Joe Root, Jordan Cox, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Ben Kellaway, Lockie Ferguson, Asa Tribe, Tom Aspinwall, Matt Short, Sam Cook, Dillon Pennington, Jafer Chohan.
Manchester Super Giants vs Welsh Fire – Pitch & Weather Report
Old Trafford has produced some of the highest-scoring cricket in the competition’s history, with true bounce and carry that generally rewards positive batting.
Pitch Report
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Behaviour | Good pace and true bounce, with some early seam movement for the quicks under cloud cover. |
| Batting Conditions | One of the higher-scoring venues in the competition, with combined match totals averaging around 250 runs across both innings in Hundred history here. |
| Bowling Assistance | Across 21 Hundred matches at this venue, teams batting first have won 8 and teams chasing have won 11, suggesting a slight advantage for the side bowling first. |
| Toss Factor | This is an afternoon match, so dew is not expected to be a major factor, though the historical trend still favours chasing. |
Weather Report
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | A high of around 19°C (66°F), dropping to roughly 14°C (57°F) later in the day. |
| Weather | Cloudy conditions are forecast for Wednesday in Manchester. |
| Precipitation | A 20% chance of rain — a low-to-moderate risk of interruption. |
| Conditions | Cool and overcast, with the possibility of some early swing for the seamers. |
Manchester Super Giants vs Welsh Fire – Head-to-Head in The Hundred History
Manchester Super Giants (formerly Manchester Originals) and Welsh Fire have met five times in The Hundred. Welsh Fire hold a narrow 3-2 advantage, having won the last three meetings after Manchester claimed the first two encounters in the rivalry.
| Matches | Manchester Super Giants Won | Welsh Fire Won | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Welsh Fire have built the momentum in this fixture by winning each of the last three meetings, including a 25-run victory in the 2025 season at Sophia Gardens. Manchester Super Giants’ two victories came in the inaugural editions of the competition before Welsh Fire turned the rivalry in their favour
Players to Watch for Manchester Super Giants vs Welsh Fire Match 21
- Jos Buttler (MSG) — Still the Super Giants’ most dangerous batter, having posted three consecutive half-centuries earlier in the campaign before the loss to MI London.
- Aiden Markram (MSG) — The captain has led from the front with the bat, including a rapid 50 off 25 balls in the defeat to MI London.
- Heinrich Klaasen (MSG) — A genuine finisher who will be key to any Super Giants recovery after a difficult recent outing.
- Phil Salt (WF) — Welsh Fire’s captain has been among the tournament’s most destructive openers all season.
- Matt Short (WF) — Returned from injury to finish unbeaten on 60 and steer Fire home against Southern Brave, a timely return to form.
- Joe Root (WF) — In outstanding touch, having top-scored in Fire’s win over Birmingham Phoenix earlier in the week.
Winner Prediction
Welsh Fire arrive at Old Trafford with genuine momentum, having won four of their last five to sit second only to Trent Rockets, and their top order is firing in unison with Salt, Root and now Short all in form.
Manchester Super Giants still have the individual quality to trouble anyone through Buttler and Klaasen, but their batting has faded after the powerplay in three of their last four matches. Welsh Fire’s balance and recent form make them narrow favourites to complete a big week with a fifth win in six.
