Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues shared a warm hug with Pakistan captain Fatima Sana after Southern Brave's match against Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred. The moment quickly went viral on social media, drawing attention from fans amid the strained political relations between India and Pakistan.
Southern Brave defeated Birmingham Phoenix by 24 runs in the 13th match at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Thursday, July 30. They are unbeaten in the tournament, registering their fourth straight win of the season. Birmingham Phoenix remained at the bottom of the eight-team points table without a win.
Jemimah Rodrigues and Fatima Sana Share Warm Moment in The Hundred
Indian and Pakistani cricketers have had very limited on-field interactions since the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025. While athletes in some other sports resumed friendly exchanges, such moments have remained rare in cricket.
However, after the match between Southern Brave and Birmingham Phoenix, players from both teams exchanged handshakes. During the post-match greetings, Jemimah Rodrigues shared a warm hug with Fatima Sana. The video quickly went viral on social media and drew mixed reactions from cricket fans.
Everyone debating if Fatima Sana and jemimah Rodrigues would shake hands and they straight up HUGGED?!😭😭🙏
— A. (@anhnjo) July 30, 2026
Keep politics out of sports FOREVER. pic.twitter.com/XCE2lswGlg
Earlier, there were concerns about the participation of Pakistani players in The Hundred after several IPL franchise owners invested in the competition. However, Sunrisers Leeds signed Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed.
Fatima Sana replaced Australian all-rounder Lucy Hamilton in the Birmingham Phoenix squad, becoming the first Pakistani woman to play in The Hundred. Hamilton withdrew from the tournament as part of Cricket Australia's workload management plans.
Southern Brave Batters Set Up Victory
Southern Brave batted first and posted a competitive total of 140/3. Lizelle Lee and Maia Bouchier gave the team a strong start with a 68-run opening partnership from 48 balls before Birmingham Phoenix claimed the first wicket.
Alice Capsey dismissed Lizelle Lee for 43, while Maia Bouchier continued her fine knock and scored 45 off 31 balls. Jemimah Rodrigues then walked in and kept the scoring rate high with an aggressive cameo.
Jemimah Rodrigues remained unbeaten on 28 from just 18 balls and helped Southern Brave collect 14 runs in the final set. Fatima Sana had a tough outing with the ball, conceding 33 runs from her 15 deliveries.
Birmingham Phoenix Fall Short in the Chase
Birmingham Phoenix made a cautious start before increasing the scoring rate. Davina Perrin and Tammy Beaumont took advantage of three dropped catches and added a 73-run opening partnership to put their side in a strong position.
Tilly Corteen-Coleman broke the stand by dismissing Tammy Beaumont for 22. Davina Perrin continued her fine innings and reached a well-made half-century before Sarah Glenn dismissed her for 52, shifting the momentum in Southern Brave's favour.
After those wickets, Birmingham Phoenix lost momentum. Lauren Bell dismissed Alice Capsey, while captain Sophie Molineux picked up two late wickets as Southern Brave restricted Birmingham Phoenix to 116/5.
Ellyse Perry faced a difficult task with 39 runs needed from the final 15 balls. She remained unbeaten on 16 from 11 deliveries, while Fatima Sana finished unbeaten on five as Birmingham Phoenix suffered another defeat in The Hundred.
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