birmingham phoenix has suffered a major setback in his campaign The Hundred Men’s 2026with star allrounder jacob bethel Recently he was out of the competition due to injury. The talented England cricketer was expected to play a key role for the Edgbaston-based franchise and was also set to captain the side for the first time in the tournament. However, an untimely fitness problem forced him to withdraw, causing Phoenix to alter their plans just before their opening match.
Jacob Bethel’s captaincy opportunity ended due to injury
Bethel pulled out after suffering a knee injury during England’s recently concluded ODI series win India. The injury was so serious that it ruled him out of the entire 2026 edition of The Hundred, a blow not only to Birmingham Phoenix but also to the player himself.
The left-handed batsman was handed the responsibility of leading the franchise this season, making it a historic moment in his career. Instead, injury denied him the chance to captain the Hundred team for the first time, forcing the franchise to make a late change just a day before their opening match. Trent Rockets On Friday.
Apart from his leadership role, Bethel’s absence also leaves a gap in Phoenix’s batting lineup. His ability to contribute in multiple phases of the game made him one of the team’s most valuable assets in the tournament.
See also: The Hundred Men’s 2026 – MI London beats Sunrisers Leeds in season opener in Rohit Sharma’s presence
Replacement for Bethel announced
To strengthen their squad after Bethel’s return, Birmingham Phoenix have signed the Hampshire batsman Joe Weatherly As his replacement. The experienced right-handed batsman comes off the back of an impressive campaign in the 2026 T20 Blast and will be hoping to carry that form into The Hundred as well. Weatherly was selected after impressive performances for Hampshire Hawks during the business end of the T20 Blast. He played a crucial inning of 46 runs in just 26 balls against Essex in the quarter-finals, which helped his team make it to the final day.
The 29-year-old played two memorable innings at Birmingham Phoenix’s home ground Edgbaston. He scored an unbeaten 88 against Notts Outlaws in the semi-final to take Hampshire to the final and top-scored with 75 in the title match against Northamptonshire Steelbacks. Although Hampshire ultimately lost the final by 14 runs, Weatherly’s performances were excellent throughout the knockout stage.
His overall figures in the 2026 T20 Blast further underline his consistency. Weatherly scored 591 runs during the season – the highest total of his domestic T20 career – while he averaged close to 50 and also maintained a strike rate of 150.
See also: The Hundred Men’s 2026 – MI London beats Sunrisers Leeds in season opener in Rohit Sharma’s presence
