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Manchester Super Giants have suffered a big setback in the middle of the ongoing The Hundred 2026. The Manchester Super Giants captain, Aiden Markram, has left the tournament midway. He has decided to return home due to personal reasons at a crucial stage of the competition.
Markram was one of the biggest signings in The Hundred 2026 player auction earlier this year after Manchester Super Giants head coach Justin Langer signed the South African star for £200,000. Markram was also the only overseas player to captain a men's team in The Hundred 2026.
Aiden Markram quits The Hundred 2026, Jos Buttler takes charge
As reported by Cricinfo, Aiden Markram will miss the remainder of The Hundred 2026 as he returned home to South Africa for personal reasons in the middle of the tournament in England.
With Markram unavailable, England’s experienced wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler will take charge of the Manchester Super Giants for the remainder of The Hundred 2026. Buttler will now lead the franchise as they fight for a place in the knockout stage.
The former England captain has already been in sensational form with the bat, and now he would be aiming to lead the Manchester Super Giants from the front in the absence of Aiden Markram in the remainder of the ongoing 100-ball tournament at home.
Aiden Markram will miss the remainder of the Hundred and return home to South Africa for personal reasons.
— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) August 5, 2026
Jos Buttler will step up to captain Manchester Super Giants, with New Zealand's Michael Bracewell signed as his replacement pic.twitter.com/Xsr1Zd6lAg
Michael Bracewell named as Aiden Markram's replacement
Manchester Super Giants have signed the New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell as Markram's replacement for the rest of The Hundred 2026. Bracewell brings plenty of experience to Manchester Super Giants. The 35-year-old New Zealand all-rounder has already played in The Hundred when he was part of the Southern Brave during the 2024 season.
Bracewell, who is known for his valuable spin bowling and powerful batting, has already played around 100 white-ball matches for New Zealand apart from being a well-known name in the franchise circuit, including the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Before leaving The Hundred 2026, Markram played five matches and scored 117 runs. In his last match on August 2 against MI London at The Oval, the South African star played a brilliant innings of 50 runs from just 26 balls.
Can in-form Jos Buttler save Manchester Super Giants' The Hundred 2026 campaign?
Meanwhile, Manchester Super Giants have been struggling for consistency in the ongoing The Hundred 2026. They have so far won only 2 of their first 5 matches and lost the other 3.
The team is currently placed sixth in the points table and will have to make a strong comeback in the remaining matches to have any chances to make it to the knockouts. Meanwhile, SA20 2027 squads confirmed: Full team lists, new signings and auction slots available.
MSG's remaining group match -
| Date | Opposition | Venue | Time (Local / IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 5, 2026 | Welsh Fire | Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester | 3:00 PM / 7:30 PM |
| August 8, 2026 | Southern Brave | Utilita Bowl, Southampton | 6:00 PM / 10:30 PM |
| August 11, 2026 | Sunrisers Leeds | Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester | 6:30 PM / 11:00 PM |
On the other hand, Jos Buttler has been in sublime form with the bat in The Hundred 2026. He has scored 226 runs in five matches at a brilliant average of 112.00 and has hit 14 sixes, the second-most in the tournament. Now, he will be hoping to help the team finish the campaign on a positive note.
