The Hundred is a professional 100-ball cricket competition organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It began in 2021 and features separate men’s and women’s tournaments, with eight city-based teams competing in each competition. The league was introduced to attract new audiences to cricket through a shorter format, international players and a family-friendly match-day experience.
The competition features leading cricketers from England and overseas, including international stars and emerging domestic players. Each innings consists of 100 balls, with teams competing in a league stage before the leading sides advance to the knockout rounds.
The 2026 season produced two new champions. Manchester Super Giants won the men’s competition for the first time, defeating Trent Rockets by five wickets in the final. Trent Rockets won the women’s competition after beating SunRisers Leeds by eight wickets. The tournament also entered a new era following changes to team names and the arrival of strategic investors.
What Is The Hundred?
100-ball cricket is a professional cricket tournament played in England and Wales. Unlike traditional T20 cricket, which gives each team 120 legal balls in a full innings, It limits each innings to 100 balls.
The competition features eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams, with each franchise operating a squad for both competitions. Matches are played at major cricket grounds, including Lord’s, Edgbaston, Headingley and Trent Bridge.
The ECB designed the competition to make cricket more accessible to people who may not regularly follow the sport. The shorter format, music, entertainment and family-focused activities are central parts of its match-day experience.
The men’s and women’s competitions run alongside each other during the summer, giving both tournaments a similar schedule and visibility.
History of The Hundred
The ECB developed 100-ball cricket to introduce a new professional format that could attract more spectators and television viewers. The competition was originally planned to begin in 2020, but its launch was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The inaugural season finally took place in 2021, featuring eight teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions. Southern Brave won the men’s title, while Oval Invincibles won the women’s championship.
The competition continued in 2022, when Trent Rockets won the men’s title and Oval Invincibles retained the women’s trophy. Oval Invincibles then won the men’s championship in 2023 and 2024, establishing themselves as the first men’s team to secure consecutive titles.
London Spirit won the women’s competition in 2024, while Northern Superchargers claimed the women’s title in 2025. Oval Invincibles completed a third consecutive men’s championship in 2025 before the franchise was renamed MI London in 2026.
The 2026 season brought further changes. Manchester Super Giants won their first men’s championship, while Trent Rockets lifted their first women’s trophy. The teams also entered the season under updated branding following new strategic partnerships and investment agreements.
The Hundred Winners List
The awards separate championships to the men’s and women’s winners. The following table covers every completed season from 2021 through 2026, using the teams’ names at the time they won.
| Season | Men’s champion | Women’s champion |
| 2021 | Southern Brave | Oval Invincibles |
| 2022 | Trent Rockets | Oval Invincibles |
| 2023 | Oval Invincibles | Southern Brave |
| 2024 | Oval Invincibles | London Spirit |
| 2025 | Oval Invincibles | Northern Superchargers |
| 2026 | Manchester Super Giants | Trent Rockets |
The historical names in this table matter because several franchises changed their branding before the 2026 season. Oval Invincibles became MI London, Northern Superchargers became SunRisers Leeds, and Manchester Originals became Manchester Super Giants.
Most Successful Teams in The Hundred
The men’s and women’s competitions have developed different championship records. Oval Invincibles dominated the men’s tournament in its early seasons, while the women’s trophy has been shared among several franchises.
Men’s Competition
Oval Invincibles won three consecutive men’s titles from 2023 to 2025. The franchise is now known as MI London, following the completion of a strategic partnership involving Surrey County Cricket Club and Reliance Industries Limited.
| Team name | Titles | Winning seasons |
| Oval Invincibles / MI London | 3 | 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Southern Brave | 1 | 2021 |
| Trent Rockets | 1 | 2022 |
| Manchester Super Giants | 1 | 2026 |
Women’s Competition
Oval Invincibles won the first two women’s championships in 2021 and 2022. Southern Brave, London Spirit, Northern Superchargers and Trent Rockets have also won the competition.
| Team name | Titles | Winning seasons |
| Oval Invincibles / MI London | 2 | 2021, 2022 |
| Southern Brave | 1 | 2023 |
| London Spirit | 1 | 2024 |
| Northern Superchargers / SunRisers Leeds | 1 | 2025 |
| Trent Rockets | 1 | 2026 |
These figures count championships under the relevant franchise identity, including its successor name where the team was rebranded.
The Hundred Teams
Eight franchises compete in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. Each team represents a city or region and plays its home matches at a designated cricket ground.
Birmingham Phoenix
Birmingham Phoenix represent Birmingham and play their home matches at Edgbaston. The franchise has featured international players and England regulars in both competitions. Its squads have included players such as Ellyse Perry and Rehan Ahmed in the 2026 season.
London Spirit
London Spirit play at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. The franchise won the women’s competition in 2024, while its men’s team continues to compete for its first championship.
Manchester Super Giants
The Manchester Super Giants represent Manchester and play at Emirates Old Trafford. The franchise was previously known as Manchester Originals and adopted its new name in 2026. Its men’s team won its first Hundred championship in the same season, defeating Trent Rockets in the final.
MI London
MI London were previously known as Oval Invincibles and play their home matches at The Kia Oval. The team won three consecutive men’s titles from 2023 to 2025 and two women’s titles in 2021 and 2022. The new name reflects its partnership with the Mumbai Indians ownership network.
Southern Brave
Southern Brave represent the south coast and play at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton. The men’s team won the inaugural Hundred championship in 2021, while the women’s team claimed the title in 2023.
SunRisers Leeds
SunRisers Leeds represent Leeds and play their home matches at Headingley. The franchise was formerly called Northern Superchargers. Its women’s team won the 2025 championship before the rebranding, and the franchise reached the women’s final again in 2026.
Trent Rockets
Trent Rockets represent Nottingham and play at Trent Bridge. Their men’s team won the 2022 championship, while the women’s side claimed its first title in 2026 after defeating SunRisers Leeds in the final.
Welsh Fire
Welsh Fire represent Wales and play their home matches at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. Both their men’s and women’s teams have featured international cricketers, with the franchise continuing to seek its first Hundred championship.
The eight franchises and their home venues are listed on the competition’s official website.
The Hundred Format and Rules
100-ball cricket uses a 100-ball innings instead of the traditional six-ball-over structure. The format is designed to keep matches short while allowing teams to build competitive totals.
Key rules include:
- 100 balls per innings: Each team faces up to 100 legal deliveries.
- Bowling spells: A bowler can deliver five or 10 consecutive balls, as decided by the captain.
- Bowling limit: Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls in a match.
- Change of ends: The fielding sides change ends after every 10 balls.
- Powerplay: Each innings begins with a 25-ball powerplay, during which only two fielders may stand outside the 30-yard circle.
- Strategic timeout: The bowling team can take a short tactical break during the innings.
- Points: A win earns four points, while a tie or a match that cannot be completed can earn two points for each team, subject to the competition rules.
The competition typically lasts around two and a half hours per match. These rules distinguish 100-ball cricket from T20 cricket while retaining familiar elements such as wickets, boundaries and a limited-overs chase.
The Hundred Playoff Format
Both the men’s and women’s competitions use a league stage followed by knockout matches. All eight teams play during the group stage, earning points according to their results.
The top teams advance to the knockout stage. The first-placed team qualifies directly for the final, while the second- and third-placed teams meet in the Eliminator. The Eliminator winner then faces the top-ranked team in the final.
This structure rewards strong league-stage performances while allowing another team to reach the final through the Eliminator. Both competitions conclude on Finals Day, with the men’s and women’s finals taking place at the same venue.
The Hundred 2026: Latest Season
The 2026 edition was the sixth season of 100-ball cricket and featured eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams. The competition ran from July 21 to August 16, 2026, with the finals held at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
Manchester Super Giants won the men’s competition after defeating Trent Rockets by five wickets. Trent Rockets scored 158/8 from their 100 balls, setting a target of 159. Manchester reached 162/5 with two balls remaining, completing the chase and securing their first men’s title.
Tim Seifert starred with 72 runs from 38 balls and was named Player of the Match. He was also recognised as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Noor Ahmad contributed three wickets for Manchester, helping restrict Trent Rockets to a chaseable total.
The women’s final was a more straightforward chase. SunRisers Leeds were bowled out for 91, and Trent Rockets reached 92/2 to win by eight wickets. The victory gave the Trent Rockets their first women’s championship.
The Hundred 2026 Final Results
| Category | Men’s competition | Women’s competition |
| Champion | Manchester Super Giants | Trent Rockets |
| Runner-up | Trent Rockets | SunRisers Leeds |
| Result | Won by 5 wickets | Won by 8 wickets |
| First-innings score | Trent Rockets 158/8 | SunRisers Leeds 91 all out |
| Winning score | Manchester Super Giants 162/5 | Trent Rockets 92/2 |
| Final venue | Lord’s, London | Lord’s, London |
| Player of the Match | Tim Seifert | Trent Rockets’ final match award |
The Hundred Venues
The competition uses major cricket grounds across England and Wales. Each franchise has a designated home venue, allowing supporters to follow their local team during the summer.
| Team | Home venue | Location |
| Birmingham Phoenix | Edgbaston | Birmingham |
| London Spirit | Lord’s Cricket Ground | London |
| Manchester Super Giants | Emirates Old Trafford | Manchester |
| MI London | The Kia Oval | London |
| Southern Brave | Utilita Bowl | Southampton |
| SunRisers Leeds | Headingley | Leeds |
| Trent Rockets | Trent Bridge | Nottingham |
| Welsh Fire | Sophia Gardens | Cardiff |
The venues are established cricket grounds that also host domestic and international matches. Their use gives 100-ball cricket access to existing facilities and cricket audiences throughout England and Wales.
The Hundred Ownership and Investment Changes
The ECB retains ownership of the 100-ball cricket competition itself, including control over its regulations and the overall tournament structure. However, each franchise has welcomed strategic investors in a series of deals designed to increase commercial investment and support growth.
The partnerships include links with major cricket brands and business groups. For example, MI London is linked to Reliance Industries through the Mumbai Indians network, while Manchester Super Giants is connected to the wider Super Giants franchise group.
The new partnerships also brought changes to team identities ahead of the 2026 season. Alongside the MI London and Manchester Super Giants, the former Northern Superchargers became SunRisers Leeds. The new names reflect a broader move to connect the franchises with international sports ownership and investment.
The Hundred Records and Achievements
The competition has produced several notable achievements since its first season in 2021.
- Oval Invincibles won three consecutive men’s titles from 2023 to 2025.
- Oval Invincibles won the first two women’s championships in 2021 and 2022.
- Southern Brave became the inaugural men’s champions in 2021.
- MI London entered the 2026 season as the successor to the three-time men’s champions, the Oval Invincibles.
- Manchester Super Giants won their first men’s title in 2026.
- Trent Rockets won their first women’s championship in 2026.
- 100-ball cricket features separate men’s and women’s tournaments with eight teams in each competition.
The Hundred at a Glance
| Category | Details |
| Full name | The Hundred |
| Organiser | England and Wales Cricket Board |
| First season | 2021 |
| Country | England and Wales |
| Format | 100-ball cricket |
| Men’s teams | 8 |
| Women’s teams | 8 |
| Latest men’s champion | Manchester Super Giants |
| Latest women’s champion | Trent Rockets |
| Latest men’s runner-up | Trent Rockets |
| Latest women’s runner-up | SunRisers Leeds |
| 2026 final venue | Lord’s Cricket Ground |
| Men’s title leader | MI London / Oval Invincibles – 3 titles |
| Women’s title leader | MI London / Oval Invincibles – 2 titles |
FAQs
Q. When did 100-ball cricket begin?
A. 100-ball cricket began in 2021.
Q. How many teams play in 100-ball cricket?
A. Eight teams compete in each of the men’s and women’s competitions.
Q. Who won the 100-ball cricket men’s title in 2026?
A. Manchester Super Giants won the men’s championship.
Q. Who won the 100-ball women’s cricket title in 2026?
A. Trent Rockets won the women’s championship.
Q. How many balls are bowled in each innings?
A. Each team faces up to 100 balls per innings.
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