The Hundred franchise Oval Invincibles renamed to MI London after Reliance-Surrey deal

London, Dec 3 (PTI) Indian multinational conglomerate Reliance Industries and Surrey County Cricket Club on Wednesday announced their partnership in The Hundred and expectedly renamed the franchise to MI London.

While the announcement was a formality, it did take a while for both parties to announce it. The majority of the agreements were announced in July.

"This follows the completion of a deal, which gives the organisations 49% (Reliance) and 51% (Surrey) stakes in the franchise, respectively, transferring ownership from England and Wales Cricket Board.

"As part of this new partnership, from 2026 both the men’s and the women’s teams will be known as MI London," both parties said in a joint statement.

The Oval Invincibles are the most successful team in the history of The Hundred, winning five titles in five years – with the women’s team winning back-to-back titles in the first two years and the men securing three in a row from 2023-25.

IPL giants Mumbai Indians, also owned by Reliance, have now expanded their presence to leagues in the UK, UAE, South Africa and USA.

"Mumbai Indians brings a wealth of experience in building world-class cricket teams, with a strong commitment to nurturing players and engaging fans globally.

"With this addition, the MI Family now comprises seven teams across five countries and four continents, reflecting MI’s vision to grow the game globally, nurture emerging talent, and unite fans through the joy of cricket," the statement added.

The other IPL owners who have invested in The Hundred include Lucknow Super Giants (70 percent ownership of Manchester franchise), Delhi Capitals (GMR owns 49 percent of Hampshire) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (complete ownership Yorkshire). "The Invincibles’ winning record and spirit of excellence perfectly embody the MI ethos of passion, resilience, and teamwork. Building on our shared passion for cricket, we look forward to collaborating with our partners at Surrey CCC and building on the legacy of The Hundred’s most successful team,” said Akash Ambani.

Surrey Chair Oli Slipper added, “We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with the Reliance team over our partnership in the Hundred franchise team.

"Reliance bring a significant depth of cricket and business expertise and have had great success with their franchise teams in India and around the world - there’s no doubt that they are here to win.

"They are passionate cricket people and together we will continue the success of our two teams." PTI BS ATK