England football star Jude Bellingham turned up, like pretty suddenly, at Edgbaston on Saturday, to watch Birmingham Phoenix go head to head with Welsh Fire in The Hundred. He was in the stands for the whole double, and also found time to chat with Pakistan cricketers Usman Tariq and Fatima Sana during the visit. Bellingham had only just come back home after helping England end up third in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And then, before he went back to Spain for Real Madrid’s pre-season, he squeezed in a trip to Birmingham Phoenix, a team where he owns, or at least holds, a 1.2% stake. The football star has talked about cricket plenty of times, and he once said, more or less, that it’s his most adored sport to view after football. Watch Video here: We absolutely love this link up…Usman Tariq x Jude Bellingham 🔥#BirminghamPhoenix | #TheHundred | #TogetherWeRise pic.twitter.com/PEpcLONSZv — Birmingham Phoenix (@BPhoenixUpdates) August 1, 2026 Jude Bellingham meets Pakistan players at Edgbaston Anyway, one of the day’s biggest moments came when Bellingham met Pakistan mystery spinner Usman Tariq. In a clip posted by the official broadcaster of The Hundred, Tariq bowled a handful of deliveries to Bellingham, and the midfielder got his own moment with the bat too. After that the pair shared a nice hug, and the footage spread fast across social media. He also met Pakistan women’s captain Fatima Sana, who plays for Birmingham Phoenix in the women’s competition. They posed for photos and, naturally, fans were just happy to see the meeting between the football man and the Pakistan cricketers, kind of a wholesome mash-up. Usman Tariq and Fatima Sana both sit inside the Birmingham Phoenix squads this season. Bellingham didn’t just stop at one quick hello either, he spent time speaking with players from both the men’s and women’s sides while he was there. Also Read | "Questions Will Be Asked": Gautam Gambhir Receives Stern Warning Ahead of India's WTC Fight Bellingham takes part in toss as Birmingham Phoenix struggle Earlier this year, Bellingham became co-owner of Birmingham Phoenix after purchasing that 1.2% share in the franchise. The set-up is shared between Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Knighthead Capital , who also hold Birmingham City Football Club. Bellingham said: "I feel like I owe the city something. And this feels like a good way." Before the men’s match, Bellingham walked onto the field and handed the match coin to Birmingham Phoenix captain Donovan Ferreira for the toss. The women’s side still gave the home supporters a proper thing to cheer about, after beating Welsh Fire with just one ball left. The men, though, couldn’t keep that same momentum, and it showed. Welsh Fire chased down the 137 target with four balls remaining. England Test captain Joe Root wrapped up the contest in style , hitting a reverse-scoop boundary off Saqib Mahmood. In the end it meant Birmingham Phoenix’s defeat was their third straight loss in this season’s tournament. England star enjoying break after memorable World Cup Bellingham arrived at Edgbaston after a real solid FIFA World Cup run with England. He bagged seven goals and added one assist in eight matches, finishing as England’s top scorer across that single World Cup. He also joined the history books as only the fifth player ever to score in consecutive knockout matches at a World Cup, slotting himself among some of football’s more famous figures. The 23-year-old grew up in nearby Stourbridge and spent a lot of his younger years playing cricket with his younger brother Jobe. Before going back to Spain for Real Madrid ’s new season, Bellingham used his break for hometown support , and also to enjoy a day of cricket that basically stitched football and cricket fans together in one place.