Edgbaston : Liam Livingstone turned heads and silenced critics during The Hundred 2025 as he led Birmingham Phoenix to their first victory of the season with a stunning all-round performance against the Oval Invincibles. The match, held at Edgbaston on August 12, was marked by an unexpected and sharp verbal jibe from Livingstone’s England teammate Tom Curran, who called him a “fat slob” while bowling late in the innings.
Unfazed by the sledge, Livingstone fired back with extraordinary batting, finishing unbeaten on 69 runs from just 27 balls, including seven boundaries and five sixes. His brutal assault, particularly against Curran who conceded 21 runs off just nine balls, turned the tide of the match as Phoenix chased down a challenging target of 181. Livingstone’s most memorable moment was his 26 runs from five balls against Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, featuring three sixes and two fours that made Khan’s spell the most expensive in The Hundred’s history.
Livingstone candidly spoke after the match, expressing surprise over the hostile comment from his friend but delight over the way he responded on the field. “I have no idea why Tom started to spray me. He’s a good friend, but he called me a fat slob or something, so I thought, ‘Let’s hope you don’t go for a few if you come back at the death.’ He did, so I’m kind of happy with that,” he said with a grin. The fiery display brought a thrilling end to the match with Phoenix sealing a four-wicket victory and potentially igniting momentum for the rest of the tournament.
In sum, Livingstone’s performance was a compelling mix of skill and spirit, proving that any personal attack can be weaponized into motivation—and a match-winning performance on cricket’s big stage.
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