The Hundred has become one of the most talked-about cricket competitions in England since its launch. Created by the England and Wales Cricket Board, it uses a 100-ball format. The aim is to make the game quicker and easier to follow. This guide explains how The Hundred works, the rules that set it apart from T20, the history behind it, and the eight teams contesting the 2026 edition.
What is The Hundred?
The Hundred is a professional city-based cricket league played in England and Wales each summer. It is the only competition in the world that uses the 100-ball format. The ECB runs the tournament, which launched in 2021 after a one-year delay caused by the pandemic.
Eight franchises compete in both men’s and women’s competitions. Matches are usually staged as double-headers at the same venue on the same day. The format was built around a clear idea: every game should last roughly two-and-a-half hours and feel accessible to newcomers.
For statistical purposes, The Hundred is recognised as a Twenty20 competition, even though its playing structure differs from a standard T20.
The Hundred History
The idea of a new city-based competition was first proposed by the ECB in September 2016. The eighteen first-class counties, the Professional Cricketers’ Association and the MCC then discussed it. They approved the plan by a 16 to 3 vote. A wider ECB vote in April 2017 pushed the project forward by 38 to 3.
The switch from T20 to a 100-ball format came later, in October 2017. Sanjay Patel, the ECB’s chief commercial officer at the time, argued that a hundred-ball game would be simpler for new audiences. The tournament was originally scheduled for 2020 but was delayed by a year because of COVID-19.
The first season in 2021 drew strong attention, particularly for the women’s competition. Figures released at the end of that season showed 55% of tickets were bought by first-time cricket ticket buyers. Former England captain Charlotte Edwards said the tournament had “single-handedly changed women’s cricket in this country”.
Profitability has been debated since then. A 2023 report by chartered accountant Fanos Hira indicated a £9 million loss across the first two seasons. ECB chairman Richard Thompson assisted with that work. Earlier ECB reporting had pointed to an £11.8 million profit in 2022.
Private Investment and Team Rebrands
In 2024, the ECB secured agreement from the counties to sell stakes in the eight franchises. Host counties received 51% of each franchise. Welsh Fire was split 50-50, and Yorkshire sold its stake outright. The ECB’s 49% was offered to private investors. The sales were finalised in 2025, attracting buyers from IPL ownership groups, US investment firms and Premier League football owners.
Two teams were rebranded as a direct result. Northern Superchargers became Sunrisers Leeds after Sun Group bought the franchise. Oval Invincibles became MI London following the Ambani family’s investment. Manchester Originals were renamed Manchester Super Giants after the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group took a 70% stake.
There is also ongoing debate about whether the tournament will eventually move to a 20-over format. The ECB has admitted it is “open to discussions” about converting The Hundred into a franchise T20 competition. Any change before 2028 could face objections from broadcasters Sky Sports and BBC Sport.
The Hundred Format and Rules
The Hundred keeps the basic Laws of Cricket. It makes several changes to speed up play and create a distinct identity. The rules are simple once you see them in action.
The core elements are:
- Each side bats for 100 balls in a single innings.
- Each innings is built from 20 overs of five balls each.
- A bowler can deliver either five or ten balls in a row, and the captain decides.
- No bowler can deliver more than 20 balls (four overs) in a match.
- A 25-ball powerplay applies at the start of each innings, with only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle.
- The fielding side change ends after every ten balls, not every over.
- Each fielding side gets one 90-second strategic timeout (not in the first 25 balls).
- A no-ball costs two runs and the following ball is a free hit.
- A new batter must be ready within 60 seconds of a dismissal, with a timed-out warning at 80 seconds.
A standard match runs for roughly two-and-a-half hours, with a 15-minute interval between innings. Each team earns four points for a win and two points for a tie or no result.
How The Hundred Differs from T20
The 100-ball format looks similar to T20 from a distance, but several rules set it apart.
| Feature | The Hundred | T20 |
|---|---|---|
| Balls per innings | 100 | 120 |
| Over length | 5 or 10 balls | 6 balls |
| Bowler limit | 20 balls (4 overs) | 24 balls (4 overs) |
| Powerplay | 25 balls | 36 balls (6 overs) |
| Match length | About 2 hrs 30 mins | About 3 hrs 15 mins |
Teams in The Hundred
Eight franchises play in The Hundred, with seven based in England and one in Wales. Each franchise fields both a men’s and a women’s squad. The teams competing in 2026 are:
- Birmingham Phoenix (Edgbaston)
- London Spirit (Lord’s)
- Manchester Super Giants (Emirates Old Trafford)
- MI London (The Kia Oval)
- Southern Brave (Utilita Bowl, Southampton)
- SunRisers Leeds (Headingley)
- Trent Rockets (Trent Bridge)
- Welsh Fire (Sophia Gardens, Cardiff)
The 2025 champions are SunRisers Leeds in the women’s competition, their first title. MI London won the men’s competition, a third title in a row under its old Oval Invincibles name.
The Hundred Tournament Structure
The competition runs through July and August, scheduled around the school summer holidays. The format is straightforward.
The league stage has 32 matches in each of the men’s and women’s competitions. Every team plays eight league games, four at home and four away. That includes one fixture against each rival plus a second match against the nearest regional rival.
The play-off structure is simple:
- The team finishing top of the table goes straight into the final.
- The teams finishing second and third meet in the Eliminator.
- The Eliminator winner joins the league leader in the final.
The 2026 season begins on Tuesday 21 July, with MI London hosting SunRisers Leeds at The Kia Oval.
The Hundred Outlook
The Hundred has succeeded in some clear areas. Crowds for women’s matches have grown significantly, and ticket sales have remained strong. Double-header scheduling has given the women’s game a platform it did not have before. The 2025 investment round has also brought substantial new money into English cricket. Proceeds are shared between the counties, MCC and the recreational game.
Plenty of questions remain. Profit figures are still disputed, and some county supporters continue to feel sidelined. There is also genuine pressure from new investors to align the format with T20 leagues elsewhere. Whether The Hundred keeps its 100-ball identity beyond 2028 will be one of the bigger conversations in English cricket over the next two years.
For now, the tournament remains a fixture of the English summer. It puts men’s and women’s cricket on equal footing and gives casual fans an easy way into the sport.
