Rashid Khan, after beginning the 2025 edition of the Hundred with a couple of three-wicket hauls, was brought back to earth by Liam Livingstone and Co. as the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket registered his worst figures in his career. Rashid was taken for 59 runs off his four overs or sets of five, 20 balls basically, as Livingstone, the Birmingham Phoenix captain, ripped him apart, smashing a couple of fours and three sixes in his final set. The Phoenix handed the Oval Invincibles their first defeat of the fifth edition of the Hundred, chasing a stiff target of 181.
Will Smeed and Joe Clarke already had a measure of Rashid in his spell earlier, but Livingstone needed to take him down if Phoenix didn't have to be nil-three in their first three games of the tournament. The Phoenix needed 61 off just 25 balls and as soon as Rashid came for his final set, Livingstone decided that it was go time.
Livingstone welcomed the leggie with a boundary towards fine-leg, which was a poor ball to start with from Rashid. The next three were hit for a six each - one over long-on off a full delivery, a pull off a short delivery on the leg side and another one over deep square leg, this time a slog sweep. Rashid ended his five with another short one, outside the off-stump and Livingstone cut it ferociously on the off side to accumulate 26 off it.
0/59 was the worst spell for Rashid, as he went past his previous most expensive spell of 1/55 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2018 against the then Kings XI Punjab.
Sam Curran brought things back to normal with a sensational set of 10 balls, conceding just 13 runs but Livingstone balanced it by 4, 6 and 6 off his brother Tom in the penultimate set to bring Phoenix on the brink of a massive win. Saqib Mahmood did get a couple of wickets in as many balls in the final set to create ripples once again while Livingstone was on the non-striker's end but the veteran Benn Howell kept things calm to see his side through.
Livingstone remained unbeaten on 69 off just 27 balls as Phoenix earned their first points.
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