ECB Completes All Hundred Team Investment Deals

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Wednesday that the final two investment deals for the eight teams in The Hundred competition have been completed, marking the full transition to a new ownership model with private partners. The agreements involve Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets, bringing strategic investors to all franchises and unlocking significant funding for English and Welsh cricket.

The most prominent development centers on Oval Invincibles, the competition's most successful team with five titles across men's and women's divisions in its five-year history. Surrey County Cricket Club, which hosts the team at The Oval, has partnered with Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited, an arm of the Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries. Under the deal, Surrey retains a 51 percent stake, while Reliance takes 49 percent. Starting from the 2026 season, both the men's and women's teams will compete as MI London, aligning with Reliance's global Mumbai Indians brand that includes franchises in India, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

This partnership valued the franchise at approximately £123 million and reflects Reliance's broader...