The final day of the group stage has arrived in this year’s T20 Blast, and by the end of Sunday evening (night in Pakistan), the eight teams advancing to the quarter-finals will be determined. Currently, only Somerset and the Birmingham Bears have secured their spots in the last eight as the winners of their respective groups. Both teams also have the advantage of playing their quarter-final matches at home, with Somerset scheduled for Friday and the Birmingham Bears on Thursday.
With six remaining quarter-final places up for grabs, the competition is fierce among the 10 teams still in contention. In the South Group, Surrey, Hampshire, Kent, and Essex are battling it out for the remaining spots alongside Somerset. The final place in the quarter-finals will be decided on Sunday evening, as the Somerset vs. Kent match, set to be played in the evening, is likely to conclude by 1 am PST.
In the North Group, six clubs are still in the hunt for quarter-final berths, and even Northants, currently in seventh place, could secure a spot if they defeat Lancashire while Notts and Derbyshire lose their matches.
Sunday’s matches feature a thrilling lineup with various teams in contention:
North Group:
- Derbyshire vs. Worcestershire Rapids at Derby
- Lancashire Lightning vs. Northants Steelbacks at Emirates Old Trafford
- Notts Outlaws vs. Leicestershire Foxes at Trent Bridge
- Birmingham Bears vs. Durham at Edgbaston
South Group:
- Glamorgan vs. Middlesex at Sophia Gardens
- Hampshire Hawks vs. Gloucestershire at Ageas Bowl
- Surrey vs. Essex at The Kia Oval
- Somerset vs. Kent Spitfires at Taunton (starting at 18:30 BST)
The quarter-finals are set to take place on July 6 and 7, with Birmingham Bears facing the fourth-placed team from the South Group on July 6 and Somerset taking on the fourth-placed team from the North Group on July 7. The remaining matchups, involving the second-placed and third-placed teams from both groups, will be determined based on the final group stage standings. Excitement is building as teams strive to secure their spots in the highly anticipated quarter-final stage of the T20 Blast.
