The Oval Invincibles reaffirmed their dominance in The Hundred by clinching their second consecutive title with a thrilling 17-run win over Southern Brave in the final at Lord's. Defending a target of 148, the Invincibles' bowlers delivered under pressure, turning the match on its head after Southern Brave's strong start.

Southern Brave began their chase confidently, with openers Alex Davies and James Vince putting together a solid partnership of 58 runs. Davies looked particularly dangerous, scoring 35 off 23 balls, but his dismissal to Australia's Adam Zampa marked the turning point. Zampa's breakthrough was followed by a devastating spell from England's Saqib Mahmood, who ripped through Brave's middle order, taking three wickets in the span of just seven balls.

Despite Vince, the tournament's leading run-scorer, adding 24 runs to the chase, Southern Brave crumbled from 58-0 to 102-7, unable to withstand the pressure applied by the Invincibles' bowlers. Earlier, Will Jacks had set the foundation for the Invincibles' innings with a quickfire 37 off 22 balls, ensuring they posted a competitive total.

The Invincibles' innings was a collective effort, with no standout performance but valuable contributions from several players. Sam Curran and Jordan Cox chipped in with crucial knocks of 25 each, while Tom Curran's late cameo of 24 from just 11 balls pushed the total to 147. Tymal Mills was the pick of the Brave bowlers, taking 3-33 and providing key breakthroughs, but the Invincibles kept finding ways to rebuild.

Brave's chase seemed well on track with their strong opening stand, but once the partnership was broken, the wickets tumbled rapidly. Saqib Mahmood's burst saw him clean up Leus du Plooy, Kieron Pollard, and Laurie Evans in quick succession, leaving Brave in tatters. From that point, the Invincibles never looked back, controlling the game with clinical precision.

Zampa, who ended the tournament as the joint-leading wicket-taker with 19 scalps alongside Mills, was instrumental yet again. His consistency and knack for breaking partnerships proved decisive in the final. Mahmood, playing just his fifth game of the tournament, delivered when it mattered most, ensuring that the Invincibles never lost their grip on the match.

Brief scores:

Oval Invincibles 147 for 9 in 100 deliveries (Will Jacks 37, Sam Curran 25; Tymal Mills 3-33, Akeal Hossein 3-34) beat Southern Brave 130 for 7 in 100 deliveries (Alex Davies 35, James Vince 24; Saqib Mahmood 3-17, Adam Zampa 2-26) by 17 runs.