England football star Jude Bellingham made a memorable appearance at Edgbaston during Birmingham Phoenix's The Hundred fixture against Welsh Fire on Saturday. The Real Madrid midfielder spent time with Pakistan cricketers Usman Tariq and Fatima Sana, delighting fans during a relaxed afternoon that combined football and cricket at one of England's biggest sporting venues.
Bellingham attended the double-header as co-owner of Birmingham Phoenix and watched both the men's and women's fixtures from the stands. The official tournament broadcaster shared videos showing the England midfielder interacting with Pakistan mystery spinner Usman Tariq before the men's match.
Tariq bowled a few deliveries to Bellingham during a light-hearted exchange, with the footballer also taking the bat before the pair embraced. The Real Madrid midfielder later met Pakistan women's captain Fatima Sana, who posed for photographs with him during the event.
We absolutely love this link up…
— Birmingham Phoenix (@BPhoenixUpdates) August 1, 2026
Usman Tariq x Jude Bellingham 🔥#BirminghamPhoenix | #TheHundred | #TogetherWeRise pic.twitter.com/PEpcLONSZv
Fatima Sana with Jude Bellingham. pic.twitter.com/av7UmFa3BN
— Sheri. (@CallMeSheri1_) August 1, 2026
Both Tariq and Fatima currently represent Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, making the meeting a special moment for the franchise and supporters. The interactions quickly spread across social media, with fans enjoying the crossover between two of the world's most popular sports.
Earlier this year, Bellingham purchased a 1.2 per cent stake in Birmingham Phoenix, strengthening his links with sport in his home region. The franchise is jointly owned by Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Knighthead Capital, which also owns Birmingham City Football Club.
Speaking after becoming an investor, Bellingham explained why the project mattered to him. "I feel like I owe the city something. And this feels like a good way."
Before the men's fixture, Bellingham walked onto the field and handed the match coin to Birmingham Phoenix captain Donovan Ferreira for the toss. He later watched Birmingham Phoenix women defeat Welsh Fire with one ball remaining before the men's side slipped to another defeat.
Welsh Fire successfully chased 137 with four balls to spare, with England Test captain Joe Root finishing the chase through a reverse-scoop boundary off Saqib Mahmood. The result left Birmingham Phoenix with three consecutive defeats in this season's men's competition.
Bellingham arrived at Edgbaston following an outstanding FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with England. The midfielder scored seven goals and added one assist in eight matches as England secured third place.
His performances also made him England's highest scorer in a single World Cup campaign. Away from football, Bellingham has previously described cricket as his favourite sport to watch outside football.
Having grown up in nearby Stourbridge, he often played cricket with his younger brother Jobe before pursuing his professional football career. The visit to Edgbaston offered another reminder of those roots before Bellingham returns to Spain to begin pre-season with Real Madrid ahead of the new La Liga campaign.
