The Hundred Aiming to Capitalize on Indian Premier League's Remarkable Expansion following Indian Funding Influx
The English cricket landscape is set for a significant shift as four Indian Premier League (IPL) owners have agreed to invest in The Hundred, the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) innovative 100-ball tournament. However, the IPL format will continue to be T20 cricket, with no plans to switch to The Hundred's unique 100-ball format.
On Wednesday, deals were finalised with the IPL and other investors, marking a new era for The Hundred. The investors, including Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals' GMR group, will take operational control of their respective franchises from October 1, 2025.
However, the agreements with the Reliance-backed Oval franchise and Trent Rockets are yet to be finalised, with the reasons for the delay remaining unspecified.
The investment will catapult the valuation of teams to over 975 million pounds, and more than 500 million pounds is set to be invested in English cricket. This investment will enable The Hundred to grow rapidly and learn from the skills of the world's biggest T20 league, the IPL.
Vikram Banerji, Managing Director of The Hundred, emphasised the growth of IPL and that The Hundred aims to learn from IPL’s success. However, he did not suggest that IPL teams will adopt the 100-ball format.
The current format of The Hundred remains the 100-ball a side format, while the IPL remains strictly a T20 league. The ECB has stated that the 100-ball format will remain for now, and any change is uncertain and under discussion.
The ECB has clear anti-discrimination policies within cricket in England, and if breached, the cricket regulator will take action. No discussions have been held with the new investors about the selection of players, ensuring fairness and inclusivity in The Hundred.
The meeting between Banerji and the stakeholders with the new investors for the tournament operations from 2026 onwards is forthcoming. The change in name of at least three teams backed by IPL team owners, including Reliance, RPSG, and GMR, is also expected.
Despite the investments and changes, The Hundred will keep its format as is for the foreseeable future, focusing on growing within its market independently from IPL's T20 structure. The IPL schedule and format remain traditional T20 cricket, as confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the 2025 season.
- The investment from IPL owners in The Hundred could potentially bring insights from the world's biggest T20 league, the IPL, to help The Hundred grow rapidly.
- The new investors, including those from the IPL like Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals' GMR group, will take operational control of their respective franchises from October 1, 2025.
- Despite the significant investments, the current format of The Hundred will remain the 100-ball a side format, while the IPL will continue as a T20 league.
- The ECB is committed to fairness and inclusivity in The Hundred, and no discussions have been held with the new investors about the selection of players to ensure this commitment.
